BIGGER ATTACK

Grey River Argus, 11 December 1943, Page 5

BIGGER ATTACK

BY THE RUSSIANS In the Dnieper Bend RUGBY, Dec. 9. Snamenka, like so many other important centres held by the Germans has been rendered almost useless to them by Russian thrusts on either side, cutting all but one of the railways which converge on it. The town is thus effectively entirely lost to the Germans, and the loss deprives them of railway communication for scores of miles on the front in the Dnieper Bend. Important developments in favour of the Russians in this area are expected in consequence. [Aust, Sc N.Z. Press Assn.]

(Rec. 1.10) LONDON, Dec. 10. Paris radio says: M'. Stalin is about to launch a large-scale offensive against the whole German line in the Dnieper .Bend. There are big attacks already 'progressing from the Kremenchug and Dnepropetrovsk areas. Russian pressure in both sectors is equally strong. The Russians clearly are aiming for Snamenka, Krivoi Rog and Nikopol. Berlin radio’s commentator, Captan Sertorius, says: Russian forces north-west of Snamenka have joined up with Soviet forces in the Cherkasy area. No major strategical effect therefrom is thus far perceivable. The German defensive front, north-west of Snamenka is now much shorter.

Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says: There is no confirmation of the Axis report that Russian spearheads pushing on parallel to the Dnieper beyond Snamenka linked up with Red Army forces in the Cherkasy area. Reuter’s correspondent adds: The Russians, after effecting such a link-up, will have eliminated the 60-mi]e Kremenchug-Cherkasy sector, which is thn last section of the Germans’ Middle Dnieper line. The Germans fighting at Cherkasy will then be besieged from three sides. . The Associated Press Moscow* correspondent reports: Red Army forces are pushing south from Kremenchug. Drive at Kiev ENEMY'S MAIN EFFORT TO FORESTALL RUSSIANS’ WINTER ATTACK LONDON, Dec. 9. West of Kiev, where the Germans once more concentrated a great weight of attacking armour, they seem to be making gradual progress, for which they are paying very heavily. Th e present time, however, is the stickiest moment in the whole autumn. The ground is no longer firm enough for free movement and not yet frozen hard enough to enable easy movement to be resumed. (Rec. 1.10) LONDON, Dec. 10. Reuters ‘Moscow .correspondent states: The Red Army is repulsing repeated German attacks in Cherriyakhov area. The Germans in this sector still hold the initiative. They continue to throw in large tank forces.

The ferocity of the fighting in the Kiev salient has been indicated by a Soviet overnight communique, which stated that 75 out of 78 German tanks were destroyed along this front on Wednesday. They were knocked out in the area north-east of Chernyakhov. A. supplement-'—- communique stated that Russian forces destroyed 46 more enemy tanks in the same area on Thursday. The “Daily Express” military writer says: The intention of General von Manstein’s renewed coun-ter-offensive west of Kiev is to postpone, or to cancel altogether, the Red Army’s winter attack. There is desperation in the enemy’s attack because he has committed, probably, three-quarters of all his remaining tanks. RUSSIAN ATTACK HELD ON SMOLENSK-MINSK ROAD (Rec. 1.10) LONDON, Dec. 10. Berlin radio says: The Red Army made a mass attack with 34 rifle divisions, six tank ■ brigades, and 1200 guns, and tried to effect a break-through westward on the great Smolensk-Minsk motor road. The radio claimed that the attacks were repelled after four days’ fighting.