ADVANCE BEYOND KIROVOGRAD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 10 January 1944, Page 5

ADVANCE BEYOND KIROVOGRAD

NAZI ESCAPE GAPS BEING CLOSED London, Jan. 9. Russian tank columns are lunging forward to close the routes on which the Germans are relying for escape from the areas they are holding northeast of the Dnieper bend, reports the Moscow correspondent of the British and United Press. Russian advance guards are pushing on nearly 25 miles south-west of Kirovograd, and other columns are driving west from Cherkassy to cut across the base of the deep German salient round Kanev. General Doniev’s tanks further south continue to press back the German lines guarding Smyela. Meanwhile, General Vatoutin’s men far westward from these battles in the Dnieper bend are closing on Vinnitsa. The capture of Vinnitsa will release units to strengthen the Russian drive against Zhmerinka, one of the Germans’ major supply bases behind the Bug River and on the approaches to the Balkans. Russian units and mechanised artillery are streaming westward on all roads in the Klesov area, says “Izvestia.” People in the Rovno region are welcoming the Russians and extending hospitality to them. Smashed Ger* man tanks and guns are piled everywhere in heaps of iron junk and thousands of dead are scattered across the field where, battles have been fought. The Russians inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans here and also southwest of Novogradvolynsk.