HUN DESPOILERS

Evening Star, Issue 25083, 26 January 1944, Page 5

HUN DESPOILERS

FAMOUS PALACES DESTROYED FIGHTING FLARES UP IK DNIEPER BEND (Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 25. According to reports reaching Moscow the Germans lost Pushkin and Slutsk through a tactical error in failing to attack the Russian flank in strength while the Red army was driving south-west from Pulkova to Krasny. The Red army, on entering Pushkin, found Catherine the Great's palace burned down and the famous Alexandrevsky palace wrecked. The German News Agency's commentator, Major von Hammer, said the great offensive battle between Lake Ilmen and the area south-west of Leningrad continued unabated. Red army, owing to far superior forces, pressed back the German lines at various points for several miles. Fighting was particularly heavy north,of Krasnogvardeisk, where the Germans wer« finally pushed back to the northern outskirts of the town.

' The British United Press Moscow correspondent 6ays the Germans _east oB Vinnitsa are again pushing their coun-ter-attacks in a last desperate effort to draw off the Red army forces from tha Leningrad drive. It adds that tha opinion in Moscow is that the enemy, has no chance of success, because General Vatutin has adequate forces to withstand attacks on Vinnitsa without' calling on reinforcements from other fronts.

Violent fighting is going on in tha Kirovograd area,, where the Russians, are using a large number of tanks and' infantry divisions. The Berlin radio revealed various Russian penetrations. It said the t Russians over a wide front in the Kirovograd area made deep penetrations arid captured Burtki. The Russians also succeeded in piercing the main German, defence areas at various points in the ; drive for Bobruisk. •