STEADY ADVANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24827, 25 February 1944, Page 3

STEADY ADVANCE

BIG RUSSIAN FORCES TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES BALTIC AND BLACK SKA (LVnl. 11.15 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 21 The Russians continue to gain ground steadily on both the southern and northern fronts. In the Ukraine. General Malinovsky is quickly following up the capture of Krivoi Rog. Yesterday he pushed out spearheads to the west and north-west of the city, and drove the Germans out of several .more towns and villages. In the final stage of the battle for Krivoi Rog, the Germans lost at least 6000 men killed, over 100 guns, more than GOO motor vehicles, and masses of stores and equipment. The men in the iron ore mines are returning to work now that the Germans have left. Rescue work is going on at one mine for men trapped when the Germans blew up a shaft. Fall of Dno Imminent The Russians in the north are sweeping forward in a wide arc toward Pskov. One Soviet column driving down from Luga has stormed an enemy stronghold within 40 miles of Pskov. Another column heading westward along the railway from Staraya Russa has fought its way into the important rail junction of Dno. The News Chronicle correspondent in Moscow says the fall of Dno appears to be imminent. Battles on a vast scale are taking shape as the Red Army gathers its forces for renewed action on the Baltic and Black Sea fronts, says Renter's | correspondent in Moscow. Three Russian armies are correlating their movements on the northern front for a concerted drive toward the Baltic, while three armies are linked up in the .soutli for a combined assault against, the Black Sea ports and the Bug River defences Three-prorged Drive lu the north. General Meretskoff's force, fighting on the outskirts of Dno, I is the central prong of the drive toward j the Baltic States. General Govoroff, [ driving south from Luga. forms Genj era! Meretskoff's right 'lank, while | General Khozin's column, thrusting on | hard south-west and south of Khoim ; toward Sokolniki. is the left flank of | the broadening battering-ram. I In the south. General Malinovsky's j vietorv at Krivoi Rog has removed the last obstacle to the concerted drive by | the Second, Third and Fourth Ukrainj ian armies tinder Marshal Konieff, General Malinovsky and Genera! Tolbukhin lor Black Sea ports. Offensive Maintained A Soviet communique says: "The Russians south-west and south of Luga continued the offensive and captured over 30 inhabited places, including the large railway station at Strugi, 40 : miles north-cast of Pskov, on the Lugai Pskov railway, also south-west of Lake i 11 men and Russians captured over 150 ■ inhabited places. "The Red Army, overcoming enemy \ resistance, has closed right up to Duo I and begun street fighting in trie northern and eastern outskirts of the town. North and west of Krivoi Rog, the Russians have occupied a number of inhabited places." The Berlin radio, quoting a German High Command report, says that eight Russian divisions are attacking northeast of Rogachev. They poured into a breach which was made on Monday night and widened it. ALLIED GREETINGS RED ARMY ANNIVERSARY LONDON. Feb '23 The following message was sent by British Chiefs of Staff to Marsha! Voroshiloff on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the Red Army: "We send to you and all officers, men and women of the Red Army and Partisan forces our greetings and those of all ranks of the British Army. Navy and Air Force, and our congratulations on the successes which have crowned your efforts. We send you most sincere I wishes for yet more brilliant successes and the speedy total destruction of our common enemy." The Vice-President of the United States, Mr Henry Wallace, and other ! leaders sent messages. Mr. Wallace. | speaking of "the almost daily heroic j exploits." said: "We have seen a ! mighty people achieve a sacrificial | -ingloness of purpose unique in human 1 history." ; General Fisenhower. Air Chiel Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, and General Sii Bernard Montgomery were among the guest-, at a reception given in London last night by the Soviet Ambassador. M. Fyodor Gusev, and Mme, (iusev, in honour of the Red Army's '..'tit h n nniversarv. BOMBS ON STOCKHOLM IDENTIFIED AS RUSSIAN SWEDEN TO MAKE PROTES'I ;Ueed. B.."Hi p.m.) STOCK HOLM, Feb •_> i Ait investigation has established that the bombs dropped in Stockholm on Tuesday night were of Russian origin. The Swedish Foreign Office announces that a protest will be made to Moscow. .The Stockholm correspondent: of the Times says bombs were jettisoned over Stockholm by high-flying aircraft giving distress .signals shortly after Russian bombers attacked Turku, Finland. A Soviet communique says: Reports appeared in the foreign press alleging that Russian planes dropped bombs in the Stockholm area. These reports are without foundation. No Russian planes have tlown over the Stockholm area, and. therefore, none could have dropped bombs there." DOVER GUNS ACTIVE LONDON. Feb ju Between 4.27 a.m. and o. 1(1 a m coast, artillery guns on the south eoa.-t opened fire on enemy shipping in the Straits of Dover. Approximately 40 rounds v ere fired. The results are not yet available.