THE CENTRAL CAUCASUS FRONT

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXII, Issue 15241, 6 January 1943, Page 3

THE CENTRAL CAUCASUS FRONT

RUSSIA’S ADVANCE UNHALTED. United Pi ess Assn.—By Elec trie Telegraph,—Copyright. LONDON; Jan. 4 Earlier messages stated that Soviet troops aie determinedly following up their recent major successes in the Caucasus and on the central front. On the Middle Don front also fresh gains are reported. Moscow claims that German resistance in the Central Caucasus is collapsing. Ouie prong oi the Russian dive, which indicted a clashing defeat of the Germans at Mosdok, is now hammering at Nalchik. Four Russian columns are closing in on Prokbladnaya, lf> miles north of Nalchik. An official denial of the German claim that V eiikiye Luki. is still in their hands, was broadcast by Moscow. Snce January 1, it was stated the towg lias been in Soviet hands, and noit a single armed German soldier is now there. The rapidly-moving Red armies are now threatening to entrap the Germans in th e winter-bound Caucasus, and may even cut oil, by a pincer movement, groups retreating to Rostov, which movement, some observers believe, is being carried out. lbese armies are less than ittO miles apart, and are still driving the ueimaii rearguards before them. Colonel Vasilev, broadcasting from Moscow, declared that the Red armies in South Russia are only beginning the campaign which, according to ail estimates, promises to be even more favourable than last winter. The Moscow correspondent of the Times says the Russians are developing an attack in the Central Caucasus, following up the garrison retreating from" Mosdok west and north-west. The fall of Mosdok not only removes the threat to important oilfields but it threatens to isolate German alpinists holding Nalchik The Russians last week, advancing via the Caucasus foothills, reached within 20 miles of Nalchik, and th 0 advance oi the Russians via the railway from Khotovo is intended to cut the enemy’s only railway link to Nalchik, at the junction near Prokliladnaya, north of Mofdok, on which the Germans and Rumanians are retreating. Meanwhile, further north, the Russians are near thy terminus of the railway to Divnoie and Stavropol, south-east of Rostov, and have also reached Priyutnaya less than 20 miles from Divnoie. Possession of this railway would indicate the po»sibilty of striking diagonally against the whole German salient in the Central Caucasus. 'Tills movement would be a development parallel to that of the Russians pressing along the StalingradTikboretsk (south otf Rostov) railway, where thy Russians defeated two crack storm troop regiments attempting to stem the Russian tank--* and lurried infantry leading the Russians vanguard which overran several localities last night. The Stockholm correspondent «>1 the Times says: ‘ It would he premature to assume that the Germans have decided to withdraw from tin* whole of the Eastern and Central Caucasus, which would cancel a great, part of their summer successes. Nov ertheless, it would, if made as ail orderly retreat greatly strengthen their position in. South Russia. Presumably they will maintain a bridgehead in the West Caucasus, which could be adequately supplied via the Crimea and Sea of Azov