FALL OF TIRASPOL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24868, 14 April 1944, Page 3

FALL OF TIRASPOL

BESSARABIAN GAINS PROGRESS IN RUMANIA MANY PLACES CAPTURED (Reed. 9.5 p.m.) LONDON. April 12 Russian troops in Soviet Moldavia have stormed and captured the stronghold of Tiraspol, on the eastern bank of the Dniester. The booty is described by Moscow as particularly largo. A Russian supplementary communique states that after the capture of Tiraspol Soviet troops forced the Dniester south of the town and established bridgeheads on the Bessarabian bank. The communique adds that two days ago the front line ran 15 miles east of Tiraspol. Soviet troops in Northern Rumania who are driving on west of the Sereth River have occupied Palticeni. This is n railway town GO miles south of Cernauti. In the Chisinau sector of Bessarabia the Russians occupied over 30 places, including Grigoriopol. The German news agency says street fighting is raging in lasi. Ankara messages report that the Germans appear to have evacuated most of Bessarabia, and Rumanian troops I have been left to cover the German | retreat. Rumanian security platoons, whose 'duty it is to see that the | Rumanians do not panic, also have been ; left behind. The Russians are treating the Rumanians well, and information reaching Russian circles in Ankara shows that the Russian troops are being given S a good reception by the villagers.

The Berlin radio, quoting the Bucharest newspaper Porunca Yrenin, savs: "An endless stream of refugees from Bessarabia, Bukovina and northern Moldavia is pouring into inner Rumania."