PSKOV WITHIN SIGHT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25473, 1 March 1944, Page 5

PSKOV WITHIN SIGHT

DEFENCE BELT PENETRATED STIFF GERMAN RESISTANCE (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 29. Red Army columns are within sight of the great German fortress city of Pskov and have taken a - village only seven miles from the town. Moscow radio announces that Soviet forces have penetrated the main defence belt around the city. There are signs, however, that the Germans intend to put up a stiff fight for this important base. Although Pskov is within range of Russian artillery, they are counter-attacking incessantly with masses of men, guns, and planes in an attempt to stem the Red Army advance. South of the city the Russians are striking westward towards the vital railway line linking Pskov with White Russia. Should they cut this line, Pskov will virtually be isolated except for the communications routes west to Estonia. The Moscow correspondent of The Times says the change to colder weather is helping the Russians in the Sokolniki sector. The warm winter has been one of the chief factors impeding the Russian advance. The lakes are covered with only a thin layer of ice, which is insufficient for military movement.

Pskov is now more seriously threatened by the Russian outflanking movement than by the armies already standing on its northern and eastern approaches, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. "

their reserves are already stretched. They are to a great extent relying on minefields and elaborate booby traps to hold up men and vehicles. The renewed drive south of Vshivoic is the first important step towards the clearing of the approaches to Kherson. The Russians, rolling up the last German positions in the funnel-shaped area between the Dnieper and the Ingulets Rivers, have cleared another 15 miles of the Dnieper bank and have advanced to positions 65 miles from Kherson.

The outflanking movement has brought the Russians to less than 40 - miles from the Latvian border at a number of points along the 100-mile - front. One Russian force, pushing west along the Moscow-Riga railway, has Uritsa, a road and rail junction . - 30 miles from the Latvian border, under fire.

The Russians at the other end of the southern front, after smashing an attempted German counter-offensive west of Lutsk, are now nearer the Curzon Line than at any time since the drive started. Only 30 miles separate the Russians on this sector irom the nearest point of the border. The Russians are reported to be restoring Krivoi Rog without loss of time. The recovery in this region means that the industrial area based on Dnepropetrovsk, Nikopol, and Zaporozhe can restart production. Four or five of the Dnepropetrovsk plants have been partially restored, and are only awaiting iron from Krivoi Rog to begin work.

Another Russian column in the Kholm sector has pushed 10 miles west of the Dno-Sokolniki railway, which is completely in Russian hands. This force, to the south of Pskov, seems likely to have the task of capturing the city' either by outflanking or combining outflanking with a frontal assault from the north and the east. The fall of Uritsa would cut another German railway line to Pskov and pave the way for an advance against the main PskoV-Vilna railway. . German resistance is at present increasing with every yard yielded, but