RUSSIANS IN SIGHT Of VITAL JUNCTION

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 66, 22 March 1944, Page 5

RUSSIANS IN SIGHT Of VITAL JUNCTION

DEALING HEAVY BLOWS ON ROAD TO LWOW Last Stronghold Above Dniester Threatened United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Wednesday, 1 a.m. LONDON, March 21. The spearhead of Marshal Koniev’s army is only seven miles from the vital Bessarabian rail junction of Balti, the key to Jassy where von Mannstein had his headquarters, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. The Russians are 45 miles from Jassy, but von Mannstein and his staff are believed to have moved to a safe? distance. The Russians on the left and right behind this Bessarabian spearhead are dealing heavy blows on the road to Lwow and towards Proskurov and Pervomaisk whioh together with Tamopo are von Mannstein’s last strongholds in the zone above the Dniester The Red Army is 50 miles from Lwow while hard fighting is going on midway between Vinnitsa and Proskurov. The Russians advancing on Pervomaisk are 15 miles from the town which is the last German stronghold east of the Lower Bug. The Russians a little further south are no more than 10 miles from the river after the capture of Petropavlovka, 40 miles south of Novoukroinka. The Berlin radio reports that the Luftwaffe has thrown 400 tankbusters and battleplanes into low-flying strafing attacks in an attempt to hold still further the intensified Russian pressure in the Dniester area. A bitter defensive battle continues. The Russians in the area of the Lower Bug have pressed closer to the German bridgehead positions but failed to break them.