NEARING AUSTRIAN BORDER

Southland Times, Issue 25545, 13 December 1944, Page 5

NEARING AUSTRIAN BORDER

The Moscow correspondent of the American Associated Press points out that the Russians by tonight had chopped their way within artillery distance of the Budapest-Vienna railway. The last reports reaching Moscow state that Red Army units have pushed up the Danube within seven miles of the railway. The Germans, with the main Budapest-Vienna railway threatened, have one other good line of retreat — the railway which crosses the Danube at .Esztergom into Austria. Marshal Malinovsky’s troops, who are thrusting along the Slovak frontier at a rate of 10 miles in 24 hours, also threaten this line. VIENNA GAP DEFENCES The Germans are starting to talk again about “Schirach’s south-eastern defence wall,” constructed since the summer across the Vienna gap to guard the Austrian frontier region, says the Stockholm correspondent of The Times. The Germans say that when the Russians reach this defen-

sive zone they will find it as strong as the barrier guarding East Prussia. The German News Agency today reported renewed fighting in eastern Slovakia, where the Russian offensive has been at a standstill for several weeks. The agency admitted that the Russians had breached the German line northeast of Kosice, but claimed that they expelled them in counter-attacks. TOWNS CAPTURED A Soviet communique says that the Russians north-west and north of Miskolcz occupied several places, and, continuing their offensive to the northeast and north of Budapest, captured a number of places, including Veresegyhaz, 10 miles north-east of Budapest. The Moscow correspondent of The Times says that significant developments are occurring in the north. Big scale artillery duels are going on in East Prussia. The Russians several times daily are reconnoitring in force with light armour and air support on many sectors between Tilsit and Luck.