Russians Take Sarny

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22790, 14 January 1944, Page 5

Russians Take Sarny

First Major Prize in Poland

Enemy Stand in Ukraine

By Telegraph—Nzw Zealand Press Association—Copyright (Received 1 a.m.) LONDON, January 12. THE RED ARMY claimed its first major prize in Poland with the capture of Sarny.

The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press at Moscow, writing before the announcement of the capture of Sarny, stated that the Germans around the town were counter-attacking more strongly than at any time since the push into Poland began. He pointed out that a 30-mile stretch of the important Lwow-Vilna railway had come under Russian control with the capture of Sarny.

Sarny, which is the most westerly point the Red Army has so far reached, is 30 miles west of the old Polish border. It is the junction of two main railways—the Kiev-Warsaw trunk line and the north-south railway from Vilna to Rovno.

The Russians’ new break-through in White Russia is rapidly developing, and spearheads are within 11 miles of Mosir, the key to the central Pripet Marshes, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. This force, thrusting up from the south-east, is nearing the left bank of the Pripet. Another more powerful unit is moving against Mosir from the north-east in a steady outflanking movement. Advancing down the railway from Jlobin, it was last reported 15 miles north-north-east of Mosir. With this new attack tense battles are now in progress on the approaches to three important towns — Mosir, Shepetovka and Vinnitsa. These battles are being fought with ferocity, and the Germans are making very costly counter-attacks.

The advances by the Red Army have already won back four-fifths of the Ukrainian communications system, and the length of the front can be measured in miles of permanent way. For instance, the capture of Sarny added another 100 miles to the German front through the necessity for detours.

A German High Command report states that the Russians on the Kerch Peninsula are attacking with superior forces of between four and five divisions supported by several hundred Stormoviks and many heavy tanks. Fighting for possession of heights is raging with undiminished ferocity.

The capture of Samy, the first major town across the 1939 Polish frontier to fall Into Russian hands, is announced by Marshal Stalin In an order of the day to General Vatutin, which states: “Troops of the First Ukraine Front, having crossed the River Slutch, yesterday took by storm the town of Sarny, a large railway junction and important stronghold of the German defences in the Polessy region.” To-night’s Moscow communique announces a new offensive north of the Pripet Marshes in the direction of Mcsir. In two days’ fighting Red Armj' troops have penetrated on ail 18-mlle front to a depth of eight miles. The Red Army smashed heavy German counter-attacks on the Ukrainian front, where the Russians are thrusting for the River Bug and the Rumanian border, says the Moscow radio The Germans' attacks were launched with spearheads sometimes using 400 tanks, but they were hurled back and dispersed. Germans Halt Retreat

Reuter’s correspondent at Moscow says that Marshal Von Mannsteln, after 21 days’ unbroken retreat, has halted at last on the north bank of the River Bug, which Is his most vital sector. He Is obviously determined to make a stand at the approaches to his lifeline—-the Odessa-Lwow railway. Entrenched concentrations of infantry and armour are meeting the Red Army spearheads which are probing toward the Bug from a number of points. The Scandinavian Telegraph Bureau quotes a military spokesman in Berlin as saying: "The battle for Vinnitsa, covering the approaches to the Odessa-Lwow railway, will decide the fate of the whole Ukraine. German reinforcements have been massed in this sector to meet the enormous Russian concentrations.” Advance in Mosir Sector A big new Russian advance in the Mosir sector is announced to-night in a Soviet communique, which reads: "The Red Army in the Mosir sector launched an offensive, and after two days’ fighting penetrated a stronglyfortified defence line on a 20-mile front to a depth of 10 miles, liberating more than 30 inhabited places, including Kozlovlchy, 20 miles south of Dobruisk, also Domanovich, 15 miles north of Kalinovich. "Troops of the First Ukrainian front captured Samy and other inhabited places, including Combrovitsa, 17 miles north of Samy.

“Russians south-west of Novograd Volinsk continued their offensive and captured more than 50 places, including Pischev, on the old Polish border, 15 miles west of Novograd Volinsk. “The Red Army east of Vinnitsa repelled heavy attacks by infantry, and south of Byelaya Tserkov occupied a number of localities. Russians west and north-west of Kirovograd drove the enemy from several stronglyfortified centres of resistance.” Localities Liberated Last night’s Russian communique stated: “Red Army forces on the Slutch River occupied the railway station of Selsk, seven miles and a half north of Sarny, and the railway, station of NeifidVlbhi,’eight miles south of Sarny, on the Rovno-Sarny-Wilno railway. The Russians south-west and south of Novograd Volinsk continued their offensive and captured Yanin, nine miles south-west of Novograd Volinsk, ' and 30 inhabited places, including Klodonko, 15 miles southwest of Novograd Volinsk. The Red Army west and south-west of Berdichev overcame counter-attacks and captured several inhabited including Krasnopol, 25 miles west of Berdichev. South of Byelaya Tserkov the Red Apny. forged ahead and cap-* tured several inhabited places.”

The Soviet Air Force and the Baltic Navy shore artillery are strafing enemy batteries which are shelling the residential districts of Leningrad, state? the Moscow radio. A few days ago Soviet Stormoviks and bombers successfully attacked two enemy long-: range batteries and destroyed them. During this raid an enemy military train was machine-gunned by Soviet aeroplanes and set on fire. The same day another Soviet Air Force group attacked a great enemy battery, causing large fires and big explosions, During the last few days long-distance artillery of the Baltic Navy has attacked enemy batteries and silenced several enemy guns.

A Rumanian Order General Antonescu has ordered the Bessarabian authorities to keep the roads to the interior clear of refugees. Every railway is now under German control and German technical troops, Who have beep infiltrating for several weeks, are being rushed to the frontier. General Antonescu’s military rule under German direction has already silenced the press, which is increasing the anxiety of the people who are being told nothing of the retreat in Russia.