ALONG ENTIRE FRONT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 59, 11 March 1942, Page 5

ALONG ENTIRE FRONT

RUSSIAN ARMIES ADVANCE FROM LENINGRAD TO CRIMEA (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) London, March 9. The Russians to-night are attacking along the whole Eastern Front, and it is reported that in the last 24 hems they have liberated 39 localities. • A Stockholm report says that the Germans are now being told that the necessity to wait for the ground to dry may mean delay of the great offensive on the Russian front until the end of April, early in May, or even June, although operations to secure starting points may occur earlier.

The Russians continue to drive I the Germans back along- the whole vast front, extending from Leningrad to the Crimea, and one after another strongly-fortified enemy points have had to be aiven up. The Red Army has killed 25(1(1 Germans in the last three days. The ring of steel around the German 16th Army is being tightened at Staraya Russa, where an enemy counter-attack cost them in dead 500 men. In the Kalinin sector nine places have been recaptured, and the Russians are still advancing. Several hundred Germans were killed and much booty captured. The Germans in the Smolensk area have been driven out of 19 localities. Fierce attacks are being launched bv the Red army in the Ukraine. German losses have been severe, and Berlin admits that the attacking Soviet forces have succeeded in penetrating the German positions. In the Donetz area the Red army is still attacking, and the Germans admit that, they are being hard pressed. Berln radio admitted that one Prussian infantry regiment on the central front: had to face 17 attacks and 20 thrusts within a week. SOVIET OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS OVER WIDE FRONi (Recd. 10.40 p.m.) London, March 9. The Russians during the week-end launched fresh attacks with all arms against German positions between Kharkov and the Sea 01 Azov, says the Stockholm correspondent of The Times. They launched frontal westward attacks from the region of Taganrog and Kharkov, and also south-westward from the region of the Krasnogard, Losovaga, Barvenkovo and Norover areas. The Russians in the past week maintained a large-scale initiative on the central front, appreciaoly contracting the “bag” containing Rjev. Viazma, and Smolensk. All German efforts to widen the mouth of the bag failed, but the Germans cling on to Viazma and Rjev like limpets despite the danger of encirclement. The Russians are similarly further compressing the bag in the Staraya Russa region, where the 16th German Army is believed to be receiving little replenishment of its food supplies. The Rusisans at the week-end pushed the front between Lake Ilmen and , Ladoga further to the west at several points and. continue fierce onslaughts. They also recaptured several small places during the week-end east of Shlusselburg. ROADS IMPASSABLE THAW ON PARTS OF FRONT .London, March 9. The Russians, after fierce lighting, occupied a strongly-fortified garrison town near Staraya Russa. The Russians in the Rjev and Orel areas have recaptured thirteen inhabited. places. The Berlin correspondent of the Swedish paper Dagens Nyheter says that snowstorms are raging in the ' Kerch and Donetz areas, where lighti ing has ceased. The thaw 1 at certain other points, giving the Germans a foretaste of what it will ■ be like when the great masses of snow begin to melt. The roads and terrain are already impassable for : mechanised units, so that large mili- : tary movements are hold tip.