FIFTH OFFENSIVE

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

FIFTH OFFENSIVE

LAUNCHED BY RUSSIANS. IN LAST SEVEN WEEKS(N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright.) (Rec. 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 13. The Russians' new drive in the Mozyr region is the fifth offensive in seven weeks and as far as can be judged is aimed along the northern side of the Pripet Marshes. One of the places reported captured is Domanovichi, on the. railway about 20 miles north of Mozyr, and the Russian positions now tend to outflank both Mozyr itself and Kalinkovochi, an important railway junction, where lines from north to south and east to west intersect. Three branches of these lines are now held by the Russians. The fourth goes westwards to Pinsk and BrestLitovsk.

It is too early yet to assess the weight behind the Russian attack in this region, but if the Russians make a further substantial advance they will have tho advantage in the north that they have in their deep thrust to Sarny—their flank will be covered to some extent by the Pripet Marshes.

For a month past the armies north of the marshes have been bogged down. The new offensive suggests that the ground is now frozen hard enough to make possible large-scale movements of armour and guns.

The German counter-moves east of Vinnitsa are described in Moscow messages as, so far, on a local scale. •In one narrow sub-sector tho Germans concentrated hundreds of tanks and large forces of infantry in a night-long battle to break through. The tanks inflicted heavy losses but were unable to prevent local gains. This is clearly the most important part of the front, where the Germans have announced their determination to make a stand along the Upper Bug 'to protect the vital railway behind it. In the Dnieper Bend the Russians are held up for the rjresent by the buttress of. Smyela and Kriyoi Rog on either side of their Kirovgrad offensive.—Official "Wireless.