TOWARDS POLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1942, Page 5

TOWARDS POLAND

NEW DRIVE BY SOVIET ADVANCE INTO WHITE RUSSIA LONDON, February 15. Following the Russian advance into White Russia, neutral correspondents report from unofficial sources a 1 great new Russian drive towards Polland. _ , An overnight dispatch from a Swed--1 ish newspaper said that the Russians, after penetrating White Russia, were advancing rapidly in this direction. ! This is not confirmed by the Moscow communique, which speaks only of continued fighting. . Russian paratroops dropped deep in German-held territory to organise guerrilla bands prepared the way for the Red Army’s advance into White Russia, says the Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Express.’ The main force advanced south-west of Toropa and crossed into White Russia at a point north-west of Vitebsk. The re-entering of White Russia means the the Russians have pushed on beyond Smolensk, and it represents a considerable advance west of any point yet definitely announced as recaptured. The re-entry into White Russia was probably accomplished by advancing units operating in the Smolensk Province. The nearest point of White Russia to Moscow is 260 miles west of the capital. When the Russians last gave news of their position in this sector, three weeks ago, they announced the capture of two towns, e-ich of them 80 miles from the border of White Russia. , , When the Russians recaptured a strongly-fortified village they were aided by Latvian riflemen. Latvia has a common border with v\ hite Ru»-; sia for some distance in the north. Ski troops, paratroops, and guerrillas assisted in the attack. . Saturday’s Russian communique says: “On Friday our troops continued their advance. Enemy counter-attacks launched in several sectors were iepulsed with great enemy losses. On Thursday. 16 enemy aeroplanes were destroyed. We lost seven.” ON LENINGRAD FRONT. LONDON, February 15. The Russians, driving west between Moscow and Leningrad, have stormed fortified positions which the Germans built in preparation for a stand until the Spring. Heavier Russian forces are following in the wake of the cavalry which oroke through the Gelman defences on the Leningrad front, but the magnitude of the action is not yet known. The Russian vanguard in eight days’ operations in the rear of the enemy killed 600 Germans and captured a railway station. Although the Russians are unable to report important further progress towards relieving Leningrad, the hammering from within, the city continues. The Germans have bi ought up further reinforcements from the Baltic provinces. These reinforcements have hitherto enabled the Geimans to withstand the Russian efforts. Lately the Russians have been applying to the Leningrad region the tactics which have become a feature of the more southern operations, consisting largely of infiltration into the enemy’s rear, where harassing activities, including the destruction ol communications, are synchronised with increased frontal pressure. Sometimes large groups of cavalry manage to slip through the enemy’s positions and to range oyer large ai ; eas - T?llc . cir , n Moscow radio says that Russian dive-bombers attacked a German aerodrome on the Karelian They destroyed four Messerschmitts and one Junkers, and also five bai racks. Guerrillas operating near Ostachkov have killed nearly 600 Gelmans and blown up five lailway A & message received in Stockholm from Berlin says that the Rumanians at Odessa, powerless to overcome the activities of Russian guerrillas who live in the catacombs, have buued them alive by walling up the en h Sever) enemy transports have been sunk in northern waters by Russian submarines.

krasnogradjrecaptured. LONDON, February 15. After smashing through Powerful fortifications, tne Russians nave re captured Krasnograd, 70 miles southwest of Kharkov. The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph says that this was achieved aftei Ihe Russians had flung back Geiman counter-attack. It is reported tha Marshal Timoshenko peisonally di rected the operations. NEARING POLISH FRONTIER (Recd. 12.5 p.m.)~LONDON, Feb. 15 The advanced Russian forces are 72 miles from the old Polish frontier i the Wilno district, says a despatch from the Moscow front. The Russians captured five populated points around The Berlin radio reported that tne Russians made a breach in the German positions at Staraya Russa, but said that the Germans _ brought uo i fresh reserves and, using numerous I assault guns, recaptured Staraya RusI sa. GERMAN LOSSES CONTINUE RUGBY, February 15. Though this morning’s Soviet war communique maintains the reticence of the Soviet communiques during the past few weeks, merely stating that during the night the Russian forces continued their offensive operations against the enemy, it is clear from a supplement to this communique that considerable losses continue to be inflicted on the Germans, both in men and material. The supplementary communique says: In one sector, our men routed a fortified point, killed 340 enemy officers and men, and captured 17 tanKS and guns, 50 horses, and other weapons. In two days, on several sectors of the Leningrad front, the enemy lost in killed 1800 officers and men. Our troops captured booty including 27 guns, 26 automatics, and one radio transmitter. They destroyed during the same period two tanks, 88 guns, and 20 machine-guns. In one sector of the south-western front, our troops liberated three localities, wiping out 700 German officers and men. On another sector of the same front, one unit repulsed enemy counter-attacks, and captured three anti-tank guns, 10 trench mortars, 26 machine-guns, 20,000 rounds of ammunition, and other weapons.

TANK BATTLES RAGING (Rec. 11.43 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 15. There is growing evidence that Marshal Timoshenko is about to undertake a great Ukraine drive. His powerfully-reinforced armies are now attacking all along the southern front, where it is reported that big tank battles are raging. The Russians are developing forward movements after strong artillery fire, and the Germans admit that the Red Army has broken through at points south-east of Kharkov and north of Taganrog. Marshal Timoshenko is evidently striving to widen the wedge between the German Donets and Sea of Azov armies. This is a very important movement, because the Germans have held on at Taganrog and Theodosia with large forces, suggesting that these points were intended to be a springboard for a Caucasus attack at the end of the Winter.