THREAT TO COMMUNICATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25385, 17 November 1943, Page 3

THREAT TO COMMUNICATIONS

THRUST TOWARDS RIVER BUG GREAT ISSUES AT STAKE

(United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Rec. 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 16. Russian forces on the Ukrainian front are moving south from Jitomir, heading in the direction of the Upper Bug and the tangle of main roads and railways serving the German armies in the Dnieper bend. Fierce battles are developing as the enemy throws in his available forces of artillery, tanks, and infantry on a line running south-east from Jitomir. Great issues are at stake. Important German Army groups depend on these communications, and the enemy troops defending them are. suffering heavy tank losses. Other Russian forces are fanning out from Jitomir in a way that must influence the German positions at Korosten, ,50 miles up the railway line, which are also menaced by a frontal attack across the steppes from the east. The Red Army closing on Korosten is probably now very near the outskirts of the city. The German High Command continues to .make reference to large-scale battles at Krivoi Rog, inside the Dnieper bend, and admits that the Soviet forces have made some local progress. So far, however, Moscow has given no news of these operations. The Russians yesterday launched a large-scale attack west of Smolensk, says the Berlin radio, quoting the German High Command. “ Soviet infantry and tank brigades attacked after a heavy barrage lasting several hours. The Russians achieved some local successes, but German reserves checked a break-through.” A German communique also admits that the Russians penetrated the defence positions south-west of Gomel. Speaking of the fighting in this area, Moscow says that the capture of Demichi mearis that the German garrison at Gomel is no longer able to escape to the west, but only to the northwest along the Gomel-Minsk line.