ENCIRCLED NAZIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 55, 6 March 1942, Page 5

ENCIRCLED NAZIS

RUSSIANS’ VIGOROUS BLOCKADE ULTIMATUM TO OREL RED ARMY OFFENSIVE FOLLOWS REJECTION 1 (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Recti. 8.4 U p.m.) London, Martin 4. Marshal Guderian refused General Boldin's demand lor the surrender ol Orel after its almost complete encirclement by the Russians, says the Stockholm correspondent of the Daily ; Telegraph. The ultimatum was conveyed by two olicers in a 52-ton tank carrying a white flag. An hour alter the departure ot the Russian emissaries the guns ol' the Red Army arjny opened an offensive against Orel. The Stockholm correspondent o: The Times says the encircled German army at Staraya Russa is still fighting >for life. The Russians are vigorously I maintaining the land and air blockjade. Both sides have probably been i reinforced, the Russians from tin. I Valdai Hills and the Germans from (the Baltic States. | If the Germans are forced back they will probably be compelled to evacuate tne Leningrad area to avoid being I trapped. The strength of the Russians lin the Lake Ilmen area suggests that I this is the Russian strategy. The Russians are now moving across the Lake Ilmen ice. i Moscow radio says that 51 supply planes for the Germans at Staraya | Russa were shot down in the last 10 I days, while the Russians arc inces'santly bombing the plane bases. I The Russians on the Smolensk front. I in a battle lor an important populated I place, wiped out two battalions of in- : i an try. i The Moscow correspondent of The j Times reveals that Russian parchutists are infiltrating the enemy’s rear >and linking up with guerrillas. SOVIET PROGRESS STARAYA RUSSA REGION London, Mtircb 4. | The Russians are thrusting : deeply into the German position i in the Staraya Russa region. Sixty ■ thousand Germans now remain of | the original 96,000 which were ' trapped in this area, says a Stock- ! holm message. There are a huni dred German staff ollicers in I l Staraya Russa. | The Russian Political Commissar, M. I Korobko, announced that the German [defences on the Leningrad front have I been broken at two vital points. The Russians in one sector of this front wiped out a German division xvhicn had been brought up by air. The Germans have already withdrawn behind their third defence line, preparatory to the spring offensive. i He added tnat Britain and America [are fulfilling successfully their supply [obligations io the Soviet. "Whatever I events occur in the Pacific and the [Mediterranean,’’ he said, “they play lan auxiliary part, for the mam front | remains in the east.” [ According to messages from Switzerland, the Russians are massing all I their forces for an all-out blow at [the Germans. German aerial re- ! connaissance gives the same picture as war reporters have repeatedly pointed out.- the massing of troops on the Russian side front under the protection of the Red Air Force, and movements on all the railway lines and supply lines to the front. This means L nat the German air force has to devote almost its entire energy to an attempt to disrupt communications. Pravda says that a big batch .of I,rained Russian reserves is now ready to go into action, and that they will be used to deal a. final blow at the retreating Germans.