TWO RUSSIAN FRONTS

Evening Star, Issue 25067, 7 January 1944, Page 3

TWO RUSSIAN FRONTS

GERMAN ARMIES FACE SPLIT VATUTIN THRUSTING WITH 1.000,000 MEN (Rec. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 6. The Russians have captured Tarashcha, south of Kiev. With its capture, the military commentators in London think the Germans will have to draw back from all positions on the right bank of the Dnieper from Kiev to Cherkasy. There are no signs yet that the Germans intend to leave the Dnieper Bend. They may be staying there for two reasons—First, Hitjer may have told them not to yield an inch of Russian soil; second, they may feel in no particular danger because they think the situation will be restored. It is interesting to note that a German military spokesman has discussed the advantages of fighting on_two fronts. London opinion is that this hints at the possible splitting of the German armies, by the Russian thrust towards Rovnb and Sarhy. It is made clear, however, that it is wrong to thing there is any parallel in the present situation and that of Stalingrad. There a German army was surrounded, cut off, and destroyed. Tf a split occurs each German army will operate independently with lines of communications to its main bases intact. VATUTIN KEEPING UP PRESSURE. General Vatutin," now firmly astride' the big Kiev salient, is punching ■ hard against the retreating Germans, declares Renter's Moscow correspondent. Operations are rapidly moving to a new climax. for the Germans in the northwestern and Dnieper lines. The Russians are increasingly threatening Kanev,'which is the Germans' only remaining hold on the right Jjank of the Middle'Dnieper. The fall of Berdichev is hailed by the Soviet Press as a major victory. It splits opin the German defences protecting the approaches to the river Bug and the Odessa-Rovno-Wilno railway. A Russian spearhead is already 15 •miles north-east of Shepetovka. Below Byelaya Tserkov the Germans have forces, hut the. Russians are wedged into their lines in many places. They are nearly 40 miles south of the town, and'have captured a position six miles north-west of Berdichev.' Vichy radio, in an unusually outspoken "report on the eastern front, said Lt seems that General Vatutin's offensive is forcing the Germans to give up the entire territory south of the Dnieper. General Vatutin. besides using more than 1,000;000 men, has considerable reserves which have not yet been in action. A new Russian offensive in the Propoisk area (White Russia), 120 miles south of Vitebsk, is reported by Berlin radio. The attack is designed to smash the German bridgehead east of the Dnieper, says the radio. The Russians, after using fog shells and putting up a heavy barrage, attacked with big forces first to the west, then to the north. Fierce battles are going on.

FRENZIED DEFENCE OF BERDICHEV. The ' gradual but inexorable loss of communications made the Germans frienziedly cling to the important rail centre of Berdichev. Right to the moment of the Russians' final attack the Germans were building fortifications and bringing up reinforcements. It was only after the Red army forces fought from street to street that what was left of a once-prosperous farming town was reclaimed. The Red army column which took Byelaya Tserkov is pushing out to the south-east in the direction of Cherkasy. The Germans who are; entrenched along the west bank of the Dnieper in the Cherkasy region represent a menace to General Vatutin's left flank, should he advance in the Dnieper Bend. Reuter's correspondent cabling from 'Moscow to-night said General Vatutin is forcing the pace as he drives fleeing Germans south-west of Berdichev, -where the enemy's losses, killed, wounded, and taken prisoners, were unofficially estimated at 12,000. The Germans are apparently concentrating on the defence of Vinnitsa with the object of holding off the Russians from the Odessa railway. Enemy sources continue to play up the magnitude of the Russian tank attack east of Kirovograd. One Berlin commentator called it. the greatest tank battle of the winter campaign. Berlin, through its Overseas Service, which the German people do hot hear, forecast vast new retreats comparable with those of last summer and autumn, when the Germans fell back 350 miles from Kursk. » The military commentator, Vallenslaten, said: "Elastic defence and defence everywhere are again the' order of the day for the High. Command this winter. This probably means developments this winter similar to those seen during the summer and autumn in Russia. What does it matter if Russian territory is given up in order to preserve our army in view of the task facing the Wehrmaeht elseAvhere 9 "