RUSSIAN ADVANCES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 1, 2 January 1943, Page 5

RUSSIAN ADVANCES

WHOLE GERMAN FRONT IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE I . x \REDS’ THREAT TO ROSTOV \ (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Recd. p.m.) London, Dec. 31. Heartened by their success the Russians south and south-west of Stalingrad within the past 48 hours carried out a series of well- , co-ordinated advances and freed hundreds of square miles of terri- ; tory. The British Llnited Press Moscow correspondent affirms that the whole Germamfront in this area is in imminent danger of collapse. The chief jdvance has been in the vast North Caucasian area between the T'koretsk railway and the Volga. The recapture of Elista, capital of the Kalmuk Republic, appears to be the next Recess for the Russians, whose south-western prong has already takin Toitskoye, which is only nine miles northeast of Elista. With the occupation of the Semichnaya railway station. 90 miles from Salewsk, thle Russians also threaten that important junction of the Rostov-Chueasus railway.

W It is pointed out that the Russians are advancing in this\ area much faster than they retreated in face of the German thrusts last

summer. Red Star reports that the Russians on the middle Don front encircled and completely smashed four German divisions. “It was slaughter rather than a battle. German dead were densely strewn over an area of several square miles. Many thousands surrendered.” Soviet planes played a great part in helping the ground forces to crush the masess of Germans.

The Daily Express’ Stockholm correspondent sfL'js: In a smashing defeat at Kotelnikova the German losses comprised two complete panzer divisions! and also vast stores accumulated for the relief of van Both.

Two powerful Russian drives making remarkably rapid progress are now threatening the key German base of Rostov. One in the middle Don is appi caching Kamensk and the other is pushing towards Salyst. The middle Don drive, in which two columns have Millerovo to the east and west, has already cut the railwaynorth of Kamensk, which is threatened from the north and the east. Between these two drives other columns are moving on Tsymlyanskaya. The British United Press Moscow correspondent says the German re-

treat to Rostov can now be described as a debacle. Only in the middle Don is there evidence of stiffening German resistance. Elsewhere, especially befbre Stalingrad, where 22 divisions are encircled, the German resistance grows more feeble daily. Reuter’s military writer says it is reliably estimated that between 50 to 60 divisions, totalling between 500,000 to 600,000 men, are threatened by the Red Army sweep towards Rostov. Though the German forces are in full retreat south-west of Kotelnikovo, the Germans, jn one sector, are doing their utmost to stem the Russian advance. The Russians are reported to be already in contact with the German main body and expect to run against powerful garrisons in the near future. The Geremans are clinging to the railway as much as possible, but this exposes their kanks, enabling the Russians to capture fcveral important towns. The Germans on the Don front are ■till violently resisting in some heavily fortified places to which reserves are being hurried. The Russians are discovering towns and villages hastily converted into fortresses. From these strongpoints the Germans are launching numerous counter-attacks. The battle has become fluid but the mobile units are reported to be . increasing their active striking against the enemy’s flanks and rear.

Moscow radio to-night broadcast astonishing details covering six weeks’ victories on the whole southern front from the middle Don to south of Stalingrad. The Russians in this period surrounded 22 enemy divisions and routed 36 divisions, including six tank and seven motorised divisions. They also captured 1589 localities. The Germans lost 175.000 officers and men killed and 137,650 prisoners. The Russians captured 542 planes, 2064 tanks, 4451 guns, 8061 machine-guns, 15,925 mortars, 3403 anti-tank guns, 107,850 rifles and 434 ammunition and supply dumps. The Russians also destroyed 1249 planes, 1187 tanks, 1459 guns, 755 mortars, 2708 machine-guns and 5135 lorries and other war material.