SEBASTOPOL GARRISON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25514, 19 April 1944, Page 5

SEBASTOPOL GARRISON

POSITION DETERIORATING POUNDED BY RUSSIAN PLANES LONDON, Apl. 17. , Despite attempts to hold up the Russians the position of the Rumanians and Germans garrisoning Sebastopol is steadily deteriorating. General Yeremenko’s tanks, motorised infantry, and cavalry are preparing to storm the Baidar Gates, which is a hill pass guarding Sebastopol’s southern approaches. General Yeremenko has already swept around the coast, planting the Red Flag on the southernmost tip of the peninsula. To-night’s Soviet communique says: In the Kishinev direction the Russians to-day, overcoming enemy resistance and counter-attacks, continued to fight for extension of-the bridgeheads captured on the right bank of the Dniester and further improved their positions. The Russians continued the offensive in the Sebastopol direction, overcame enemy resistance and technical obstacles erected in the mountains on the southern coast, and occupied a number of inhabited localities. The German beach-head in the Crimea is now reduced to a stretch of about 30 miles south-east-.of Sebastopol, says, the Moscow correspondent of the British ' United Press. Grim street battles are at present going on in the northern, eastern, and southern suburbs, of Sebastopol, while overhead Russian planes continue to pound the city and waterfront. The combined land and air assault is paralysing German attempts at evacuation and disorganising improvised German 'defences. Outside the city fierce fighting is still foing ,on in the southern mountains. ut- organised German resistance .has ceased.

Moscow radio reports that Russian mobile units are operating in the Crimean mountains, making frequent raids against the enemy’s rear, cutting roads, blowing up ammunition dumps, and destroying equipment. New concentrations of Russian troops have been observed in the Kishinev and Jassy sectors, says Vichy radio. It is believed that the Russians aim at the seizure of important strategical points for forthcoming operations. There are also signs of a new Russian offensive in Poland.

Fighting has increased in violence east of Stanislawow and west of Tarnopol. Reuter’s Istanbul correspondent reports that several boatloads of German troops escaping from the Crimea landed on the Turkish Black Sea coast.