STILL MAINTAINED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20708, 7 March 1942, Page 5

STILL MAINTAINED

SOVIET OFFENSIVE PUSH FORLENINGRAD BREAKING NAZI RING Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Pre.is Assn.) (11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Mar. 6. The position on the Leningrad front is not developing in favour of the Germans, reports The Times Stockholm correspondent. The latest Russian offensive is largely from Leningrad’s garrison. It is impossible to ascertain the extent to which the Russians have relieved, reinforced, or exchanged the Leningrad defenders, but there is twoway traffic across the Lake Ladoga ice to Borisovagriva, thence by railway to Leningrad. It is assumed that a large proportion of Leningrad is not only receiving supplies, but also exporting surplus munitions for use elsewhere in Russia. This route across Lake Ladoga is likely to continue until April before which the Russians hope to throw off the German encirclement.. The battle for the Viazma-Smolensk railway continues fiercely'. Russian pressure from north and south to join forces across the railway is threatening the isolation of the Germans in the Viazma and Rjev regions. The German reinforcements of these points have been interrupted by White Russian guerrillas.

The Russian pressure on Staraya Russa has not slackened.

The German army which the Russians have encircled at Staraya Russa comprises 19 divisions, 16 of which are infantry divisions. A Major Success The capture of Yukhnov, on the road from Maloyaroslavets to Roslavl, announced in the Russian communique last night, is regarded authoritatively in London as of major importance. Yukhnov is one of the strongly fortified towns which have been holding up not only the Russian advance in this sector but also the progress of the forces forming the southern jaw of the pincers closing round Rjev and Viazma.

The Moscow radio, detailing the fighting resulting in the capture of Yukhnov, says the Germans converted the whole neighbourhood into a strongly-fortified zone, including minefields and successive rows of barbed wire, but even assisted by reinforcements sent hurriedly by air they were unable to stem the indomitable Russian advance. The Russian troops, after smashing the outlying defence, proceeded to storm the town from which the Germans precipitantly retreated, leaving large quantities of army war material and also many dead.

Another large and important convoy carrying aeroplanes, tanks, guns, and medical stores has reached a north Russian port without loss or damage to a single ship. Steam jets had to be used for half an hour to melt the ice on every ship after the arrival. Everything aboard the ships was frozen fast and ice six inches thick had formed on the gun barrels.