RUSSIAN ADVANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25051, 15 November 1944, Page 5

RUSSIAN ADVANCE

BATTLE FOR BUDAPEST

CONTROL OF CHIEF ROADS (Reed. 12.30 a.m.) LONDON. Nov. 14 Ihe steady advance of the Russians toward Budapest continues. Among the places,.captured yesterday about 40 miles due east of the capital are two railway towns which the Germans had turned into strongpoints. Further south, beyond Czegled, ttfe Russians made advances up to six miles. Tho Russians are attacking the rail centre of Jaszbereny, east of Budapest, from three sides against stiff resistance from tho Germans, who are using flame throwers. Heavy rain is washing away roads and making some sectors impassable.

Fierce Tank Battle • Marshal Malinovsky has won a big infantry battle north of Czegled, and the defenders of Budapest have been deprived of almost all freedom of manoeuvre in the most critical sectors east and south-east of the city. The enemy, when the Red Army started its drive, had 11 principal roads and railways leading to Budapest. Marshal Maiinovsky's troops now control seven of these.

Heavy tank battles are raging over the Hungariaun plain east of Budapest as Hungarians and Germans try to hold Marshal Maiinovsky's armour from breaking through and outflanking Budapest to the north, says the Moscow correspondent of the Associated Press. The Germans are reported to have thrown in many new tanks and anti-tank weapons in one of the fiercest armoured battles since' the big clashes in the Debreczen area last month.

The situation near Budapest itself is unchanged. All the indications are that the Germans will prefer to see the city outflanked or smashed rather than abandoned. The G-erman High Command undoubtedly is seeking to win time for the expected defence of the Vienna sector. Fight for Roads to Austria Reuter's Moscow correspondent says the Germans, as well as the Russians, realise that the battle developing south-east of Budapest represents more than a battle to push Hungary out of the war. Marshal Malinovsky is fighting to open the roads to Austria. There has been no mention recently of previous reports that the Russians are on the outskirts, or as near as Ujpest, two miles north of the capital. It is presumed that vanguards may ha.ve been near the city, but that parts of the main body were diverted to cutting off Budapest from the north-east and to outflanking the capital from the south. The Berlin radio commentator von Hammer said the Russians were puttjng up a bluff. "The Russians are massing troops south of Budapest to cross the Danube via Csepel Island," he asserted. "There are for the moment only local skirmishes going on before Budapest to give the impression that the frontal assault against the capital is about to begin." Von Hammer said also that the Russians had established a second bridgehead over the Danube at Batina.