Russian Offensive Still Spreading

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 24, 29 January 1943, Page 5

Russian Offensive Still Spreading

Only 75 Miles From Kursk (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Thursday, 11.45 p.m. LONDON, Jan. 28. The Russian offensive is still spreading to new areas. The Berlin radio divulged that the Russians are attacking north-west of Voronej in a sector not previously mentioned. Simultaneously with the strengthening of the pressure south and southwest of Voronej the Russians attacked north-west of Voronej with considerable infantry forces supported by strong armoured formations. Reuter’s Moscow corresponded. says the Russians’ new advance on the Voronej front has reached a point Vo miles from Kursk. They cut the main Moscow-Taganrog railway at a point 25 miles south of the key junction oi Kastornoie.

The Russian forces further southwards on the northern and northeastern approaches to Rostov are consolidating their positions before launching a fresh attack. The Russians on the Vorpnej front have captured the large railway station at Gorschechnoye about 60 miles southwestward of Voronej on the YeletsValuiki railway. On the southern frpnt they captured Egorlyk and Novo Alexandrovskaya 50 and 40 miles respectively eastward of Kavkaskaya, also Srednyegorlik 50 miles north-westward of Salsysk and 70 miles south-eastward of Rostov, also Neftegorsk 30 miles north-eastward of Tuapse on the railway to Armavir. Moscow reports state that Neftegorsk which has been captured is thirty miles south-west of Maikop and is the centre of one of the newest and best oilfields in the Caucasus. It was developed in I‘. and produces oil yielding a higher proportion of aviation spirit than Maikop. The Russians also captured Apsheronskoye twenty miles south-west of Maikop. The Swiss radio says it is reported from Stockholm that the Russians have captured Petsamo. A special Moscow announcement states: “The liquidation of the German Sixth Army before Stalingrad has been, completed. ’ * The Times’ Stockholm correspondent says the German forces are becoming congested on the railways in the Western Caucasus with the Russians in the immediate approaches to the Kavkaskaya and Tikhoretsk junctions. The barrier which the Germans hope to defend apparently includes an arc drawn from Tikhoretsk with Rostov near the centre. However, it is unlikely that the Germans really expect to stem the Russian offensive so far eastward but hard fighting is certain before the Russians overcome this delaying barrier and surge into the heart of the Donetz Basin.

The most important other operations on the southern front are west and south-west of Voronej where the Russians are again demonstrating their superior winter mobility and the Germans and Hungarians are doomed to suffer further encirclements before their lines are shortened by retreat. Heavy fighting continues in the Velikiye Luki and Leningrad regions though no fresh changes are reported.

New activity is recorded in the Volkhov and Riev areas.