VATOUTIN'S FORCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 7 January 1944, Page 5

VATOUTIN'S FORCES

FIRMLY ASTRIDE KIEV SALIENT Retreating Germans Being Hard Hit London, Jan. 6. General Vatoutin is firmly astride the big Kiev salient and punching hard against the retreating Germans, declares Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. Operations are rapidly moving to a new climax for the Germans in the north-western and Dnieper line. The Russians are increasingly threatening Kanev, which is the Germans only remaining hold on the right bank of the middle Dnieoer. The fall of Berdichev after five days’ fighting of extreme ferocity between large forces on both sides is hailed by the Soviet press as a major victory. It splits open the German defences protecting the approaches to the River Bug and the Odessa-Rovno-Wilno railway. The Russian spearhead is already 1 5 miles north-east of Shepetovka. The Germans below Byelayatserkov have considerable forces but the Russians are wedged into their lines in many places. They are nearly 40 miles south of Byelayatserkov and reached points due east of Vinnitsa.

Vichy radio in an unisually outspoken report on the eastern front said it seems that General Vatoutin’s offensive is forcing the Germans to give up the entire territory south of the Dnieper. General Vatoutin besides using more than 1,000.000 men has considerable resen es which have not yet been in action. A new Russian offensive in the Propoisk area in White Russia. 120 miles south of Vitebsk, is reported by Berlin radio. The attack is designed to smash the German bridgehead east of the Dnieper, says the radio. The Russians after using fog shells and putting up a heavy barrage, attacked with big forces first westwards and then northwards. Fierce battles are going on THE FALL OF BERDICHEV M. Stalin in an order ot the day addressed to General Vatoutin said that troops of the First Ukrainian Front after five days of fierce fighting today carried by assault the large railway junction and key centre of the enemy’s defences, Berdichev. The feat will be recognised in Moscow with 20 ; salvos from 124 guns. Reuters Moscow correspondent says that late to-night the Russian military commentator, Colonel Amikov, said Russians had taken the Stuez river line and penetrated deeply in the direction of Sarny, which is 35 miles west of the old Polish frontier. Moscow radio says the capture of i Berdichev was achieved by a swift manoeuvre which cut up the German defences and threatened them with outflanking. The Germans, supported by large tank reinforcements from other sectors, attempted to hold the town despite huge losses but began to lose their nerve when Russians cut the railway south of the town and captured a position six miles north-west of Berdichev. Battles soon developed on the outskirts of the town. The Germans increased their resistance and counterattacked several times daily but lost heavily and were compelled to retreat. Russians broke into the suburbs and after street fighting the town was taken by assault. Prisoners and booty were captured. GERMAN POSITION IN DNIEPER BEND Now the Russians have captured Tarashcha military commentators in London think the Germans will have to draw back from all positions on the right bank of the Dnieper from Kiev to Cherkassy. There are no signs yet that the Germans intend to leave the Dnieper bend. They may be staying there for two reasons. (1) Hitler may have told them not to yield an inch of Russian soil. (2) They may feel in no particular danger because they think the situation will be restored. It is interesting to note that the Ger- j man military spokesman has discussed the advantages of fighting on two fronts. London opinion is that this hints at a possible splitting of German armies by the Russian thrust towards Rovno and Sarny. It is made clear, however, that it is wrong to think there is any parallel in the present situation to that of Stalingrad. There the German army was surrounded, cut off and destroyed. If a split occurs each German army will operate independently with lines of communications to the main bases inact.