EXPLOITING GAINS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 39, 14 January 1944, Page 5

EXPLOITING GAINS

RUSSIANS NEAR MOZYR

CLOSE CONTACT WITH ENEMY

LONDON, Jan. 13

In their new offensive on the White Russian front the Russians are within five miles of Mozyr, on the Pripet River and on the eastern side of the marshes.

A Berlin report says that the Russians have penetrated German positions west of Mozyr, but the Germans are bringing up reinforcements in strength. _ The Russians, Moscow says, are cutting off the Germans in isolated groups and giving them no time to reorganise.

ADVANCE INTO POLAND

South-west of Mozyr the Red Army is pushing forward and following up the capture of Sarny. The Germans mre retreating, with General Vatutin's men in hot pursuit, towards Kowel, an important railway junction west of Sarny, and 115 miles beyond the Polish border. The retreat, is so rapid that the Germans are leaving bridges intact and abandoning large quantities of supplies. The German News Agency reports grim and bitter fighting against strong Hussian formations, which hare been reinforced, in the area north of the Bug River. A correspondent says that von Mannstein is throwing every tank into tho battle for the Bug in an effort to stop the Russians reaching the Lwow-Odessa railway. The Bug River is the last line protecting this railway, which is of vital importance to the Germans.