VICTORIOUS RUSSIANS

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 September 1943, Page 5

VICTORIOUS RUSSIANS

CROSSING THE DNIEPER

ADVANCE WEST OF SMOLENSK

Counter-Attacks Near Kiev

LONDON, September 27. The Soviet High Command announced that the Red Army had reached the Dnieper at a number of places in the Kiev, Kremenchug and Dnepropetrovsk sectors; and to-day the Moscow correspondent ot the British United Press declares that the Russians have cleared practically the whole of the eastern bank ol the Dnieper from Kiev as far south as Zaporozhe, a distance ot about 3000 miles. The Germans, he adds, are desperately clinging to strong pockets in the Kremenchug and Dnepropetrovsk areas', where they are trying to withdraw their remaining forces to transport them across the Dnieper. , 4 ■ A /r Reuter’s correspondent m Moscow says that a small bridgehead is believed to have been established on the west bank of the Dnieper between Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk. The main Russian forces, he adds, are trying to extend and consolidate the bridgehead in the face of very fierce artillery and mortar fire. The advances west of Smolensk and Roslavl continue. A supplement to the latest Soviet communique says that the Russians in the Mogilev sector have entered the White Russian Republic. Mogilev is 100 miles west of Roslavl. 55 miles from thelborder between White Russia and Smolensk Province. . . . The Soviet communique issued last night says that the Russians south of Smolensk advanced from eight to 15 miles yesterday and captured the district centre of Khotin. In the Viteosk sector, north-west of Smolensk, rhe Red Army advanced from four to seven miles. A total of 770 inhabited places were occupied during the day. The communique adds that the Red Array in the Kuban captured several places, including Parenkovo. Reuter’s correspondent in Moscow says, that the Germans in the Kiev sector are counter-attacking six times a day, but there is no evidence that the enemy has been able to hold up the attackers. According to the Official German News Agency Russian paratroops have landed in the rear of the German lines on the middle Dnieper. The Moscow radio, summing up the effect of the latest Russian successes, says: “The gates to the west have been thrown wide open.” The Official German News Agency says: “The Russians are throwing not only divisions, but whole armies into the fight, which is a battle 01. material on a gigantic scale.” WHITE RUSSIA ENTERED. LONDON, September 27. The Red Army has crossed the border into White Russia at four points, and its vanguards are now streaming through into this great Soviet Province. They are being helped by a sudden spell of warm, dry weather. The Russians are now only 30 miles east of Vitebsk, and are driving towards the Vitebsk-Gomel railway. With the battle for the Dnieper crossings in full swing, the Russians are making every effort to extend their bridgeheads on the cast bank of the river. North of the Dnieper Bend, the Russians are now 21 miles from Kremenchug. Particularly severe fighting continues for the great Dnieper Bend centres of Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhe. Here the Germans have thrown in fresh reserves. In the extreme south Soviet aircraft and the Black Sea Fleet archunting down evacuation craft carrying Germans from the Kuban across the Kerch Strait. , SLAUGHTER~AT SMOLENSK. LONDON, September 27. , “The Dnieper ran red at Smolensk in the final battle for the city when a sudden Russian advance in the blovietsky bridge area trapped thousands of German troops, _ says . l . ite Moscow correspondent ol the British United Press. ■‘The Germans in their retreat from the city failed to note tlie Russians’ sudden pincers movement towards the bridge, and before the enemy could reach salety the Russians swept down between the Germans and the river and cut off their escape. The Germans tried to fight their way out, but were mown down in thousands along The river bank. , “The night before the Russians final assault against Smolensk _ a great gale swept the countryside, rooting up trees and flooding roads. The Red Army had to press on through ankle-deep mud across swollen streams and flooded fields, guided by the column of smoke oyer Smolensk. which had been flaming like a torch for four days. The Russians at daybreak on September 21 reached the Soloevyev crossing. Pontoon builders the same evening began getting bridges ready for the Russian troops. These sappers worked throughout the night under intense enemy fire and completed their work as dawn approached. Red Army troops then made a swift crossing. “German demolition squads inside Smolensk had meanwhile blasted their way from one end to the other until no trace remained of the ancient monasteries and churches that once were Smolensk's pride. In addition to making a frontal assault the Red Army during the night pushed more troops into the battle and an outflanking movement from the rear boiled up into.a seven-hour forest battle in which the Germans fought for every yard.” HITLER’S APPEAL.

Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says: “Sacrificial battles, fought out on Hitler’s orders, marked the last stages of the struggle for Smolensk. The German garrison the clay before the final battle is reported to have received a message from Hitler in which he said: ‘Die. but do not abandon Smolensk.’ General lovlev, a native of Smolensk, was in the forefront of the advance. He spurred his men on when he saw the city aflame. When the battle-stained Red Army men swept into the city' the few inhabitants left of the population of 100,000 rushed to hug soldiers and offer them humble gifts.” “The Times,” in a leading article on Smolensk, says: “Our defeats were suffered before we were prepared. Germany’s defeats are being inflicted against her after making the greatest preparations ever witnessed in warfare and after her strength has passed its peak. All that Germany set out to gain has been lost forever.”

The “Daily Mail,” in a leading article, says: “The capture of Smolensk must rank as one of the supreme feats of the war. The Russians have the satisfaction of knowing that they are finally freeing their own land from the invader.” DNIEPER BRIDGES . LONDON, September 27. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent states: A crucial battle for Dnieper River crossings is in full swing. Russian forces are making many simultaneous thrusts. Some of these undoubtedly are feints, designed to

. split up German forces and diffuse their fire. Russian and German ari tillery are heavily duelling across the 'river. The Red Air Force is ham‘mering German defences. There are 'five bridges between Kiev and ZapoIrozhe for railways and main roads. [lt is not yet known whether the Germans have blown them up, or whether they hope to retain protective I bridgeheads on the east bank. GERMAN CLAIMS. LONDON, September 27. The German propaganda machine has switched to the line that the i great retreat has ended, except at a few points. It claims that the withdrawals were timed to reach the defensive points at the Dnieper before the rain and mud bogs down the heavy transport. The Germans admit the Russians crossed the Dnieper at a few points. They claim that they have been liquidated, while the Germans are still holding on to the bridgeheads east of the river. The Oslo radio states: “The Berlin newspapers are assuring readers that ‘the present disengaging movement is onlv of a temporary nature. At the right time, the defensive tactics will be succeeded by a- strong offensive, wherein German tanks and infantry will again storm forward on a wide front.” . The Associated Press correspondent states that German resistance is stiffening west of Gomel, .where the Germans are employing considerable tank and infantry reinforcements. Russian forces are striving for maximum progress while good weather lasts before rains convert the marshes east of Cehrnigov and Unecha into impassable bogs. GERMAN LOSSES HEAVY

(Recd. 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 27. Russians continuing to break German resistance in the Kuban have captured Temryuk. Red Army units are now fighting in the suburbs ol Dnepropetrovsk. These new successes are reported in to-night’s Soviet communique which also states that eleven hundred inhabited places were freed of the invader during the day. Advances up to ten miles were made in Gomel and Mogilev directions. Chernobaisk was taken in the Kiev area. The Red Army has also captured the Onezdovo railway station, five miles west of Smolensk. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent declares the Dnieper line is already cracking and is likely to split wide open soon. The German losses in men are huge. Thousands of tons of valuable war material now massed east of the river will never make the return journey, except in Russian hands. , , , , As the Russians on the east bank of the Dneiper surge forward more and more, the Germans are being forced into the river. Many German bodies are floating down towards the battlefields further south. Along the whole front from west of Smolensk to south of Dnepropetrovsk, the Germans have reached positions where any further retreat in one sector will menace the entire line, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. Between Kiev and Kremenchug the Russians are doing the utmost to extend and reinforce small bridgeheads on the high west bank. A decisive struggle is going on on the east bank on the outskirts of Kiev. The Russians are wearing down the German pockets around Kremenchug by flank attacks and frontal attacks. A Russian column advancing against Kremenchug from the north is less than twenty miles distant. Fifty Russian divisions are driving in three main sections, imperilling the heart of the new German line and the vital bases of Vitebsk, Mogilev and Gomel, which are The gates to Minsk.