NEW SOVIET PUSH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21260, 24 November 1943, Page 3

NEW SOVIET PUSH

DNIEPER BEND 20-MILE ADVANCE THREAT TO NAZI REAR (By Telegraph-Pres? Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, NOv. 22. The Russians in the Dnieper bend have advanced about 20 miles on a 3G-niile front after breaking, through the German defences east of the Kremenchug-Snamenka railway, says Reuter’s correspondent. One spearhead in the big new drive has crossed the railway and is now 25 miles northcast of Snamenka. Another force driving south is now 28 miles east of Snamenka. This drive, as it develops, threatens the rear of the Germans facing the Russian attack from north and west of Cherkassy. The Russians at the same time are renewing their pressure in the south-east corner of ihe Dnieper bend, where they are narrowing the German-held area around Nikopol. They are 30 miles north-west of Nikopol.

The Times’ Moscow correspondent says the Russians’ thrust south of Kremenchug is carefully timed to coincide with the Cherkassy operations with the object of dividing the German forces on the railway between Smyela and Snamenka. To-night's Soviet communique says the Russians in the Dnieper bend fought local engagements with a result which improved their positions and south of Kremenchug captured nine strong-points. The Red Army at Cherpyskhov, 10 miles north of Jitomir, and in the Korostychev area continued to repulse tank and infantry attacks, inflicting heavy losses. The Red Army in the lower reaches of the Pripet River captured 12 inhabited places and the Pripet railway station and west of Ryschitsa captured 16 inhabited places. The Russians north of Gomel captured a number of centres of resistance.

The Tass Agency states that the Grozny oilfields, which were intensively bombed a year ago, are now restored to their former productive capacity.