The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, January 26, 1943. RUSSIAN APPROACH TO ROSTOV.

Grey River Argus, 26 January 1943, Page 4

The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, January 26, 1943. RUSSIAN APPROACH TO ROSTOV.

The trend of operations on the ■Russian front has continued to be in. the direction of Rostov, and for that. reason reports of the fighting give increasing emphasis to the threat which that base is beginning to face. It had earlier appeared that while there was no truth in the suggestion of Germans being bagged in large numbers in the Caucasus, the Russians had every prospect of advancing to Salsk and further south to Armarvir. These places have since been taken, but the fact remains that in both cases the advance of the Russians has continued on lines which are parallel, rather than converging, for which reason it appears rather premature for the. cables to speak of the Russians now being in a position to close a sack, and encircle enemy forces in the same way as they have certainly done in front of Stalingrad. Ou the Lower Don additional enemy divisions are certainly in great difficulty. It is, however, somewhat' farther north that indications must be sought for the extent- of the greater danger to Rostov and therefore the whole enemy campaign in Southern Russia. The Voronej offensive has achieved one major objective, the capture of the railway as far south as Millerovo, and the Russians now have the use of that line, for this southward drive. The Germans are said to have been losing also the use of other lines, and the Russian advance along those towards Rostov has been fast in the Caucasus. But there remain various railways for the enemy’s use, west of the River Donetz, and it is here that the Russian advance requires to be Studied in order to form an estimate of the ultimate menace to Rostov. North of this centre the enemy is bound to put up a great struggle, but the Russians now

have crossed the Donetz at several points, and have captured the important railway station at Kamensk,,while they also are reported to be within a few miles ol the industrial centre ol’ Voroshilovgrad. A further railway between Kursk and Kharkov is meantime menaced, but' the most vital front of any at present in 'the picture is that of Liakbaya, 'the junction of the Stalingrad--1 Kharkov and Voroncj-Kosto\ lines, a little more than 50 miles from Rostov. If the enemy should t presently lose that junction. Ros-' Itov would be cut off from sup’plies coming to it from the north, /nd would have to rely upon only [one remaining line, that running due west along the Azov sea t” Tagraurog. Not, however, until the fall of Liakbaya will there be a really definite threat to Kostov. The most spectacular Russian gains have been in . the Caucasus region and south of the Lower Don. It is again suggested that the enemy is in a quand ary over the Maikop oil region, and may have to attempt a withdrawal by way of the Black Sea, hut the fact remains that the I Germans are acting, to ’a plan. jYlany of Lhe places which the Russians have recently occupied had previously been abandoned. There is yet no sign of a general withdrawal from the south, and | the enemy may not expect that the Russians will turn the line of the Donelz River, which is the best defence of Rostov. On that river they will put up . a stubborn stand. ’Meantime, while Rostov is retained, the enemy will expect still to keep in touch with his advanced forces in all directions, with the exception of that in front of Stalingrad, which rei mains definitely 'cut oft and is evidently been worn down by the ‘ Russians and by lack of supplies. Road and railway junctions have now become the focus of nearly all of the fighting in Russia, on j account of the severity of the j winter, and of these, conditions, the Russians are taking advantage to induce enemy refireincnts. Nevertheless the general picture is that of a convrgcnc.e of Russian forces towards Rostov in i which they have the obvious initiative, and should they suc'ceed in advancing well to the westward along and beyond the Donetz, the Russians soon, may be back upon their old lines, which are now stated to be'only about; one hundred miles beyond their lines now held to the northwards from Rostov as far as Vorortfj.