WIDE RUSSIAN PINCERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 201, 26 August 1943, Page 5

WIDE RUSSIAN PINCERS

STRONGER SUMMER OFFENSIVE MAJOR RED BREAK-THROUGH IBy Telegraph—Press Aasociation—Copyright) Recd. 7.30 p.m. London, Aug. 24. The Russian advances on a 250-mile front between Kharkov and the Donetz Basin are now seriously threatening 750,000 German troops, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. The Russians are pouring through several gaps in the German line as the summer offensive reaches a new peak of strength. The latest reports show that large Russian forces on the Donetz are spreading out along the Taganrog-Stahno railway. The vanguards have deeply penetrated the German lines. The Russian attack south of Izyum is developing- into a wide pincer movement threatening Stalino, which is the main German base in the Donetz region. The Russian break-through at Ambrozevka, 31 miles south-west of Stalino, has cut off all the German troops in the Taganrog- area. The Germans are deprived of the only railway from Taganrog ami a retreat across the swampy country laced by rivers is almost impossible.

Reuter continues that Poltava is the next German stronghold which the break-through threatens. The Germans, who have been fighting grimly during the last 12 days to dislodge the Red Army’s grip on* the Kharkov-Poltava railway, are now in a desperate position. The British United Press’ Moscow correspondent stales that a great German retreat is still going on soutnwest and sou l a of the city. The last German detachments escaped soutnwestwards along the roaa and railway leading to Merefa, 10 miles from Kharkov. The Germans in Merefa are moving men to the Dnieper along the railways leading to Zaporozne anj Dnepropetrovsk. Some are aiso going towards Poltava—the railway to which is under Russian control—along a network of secondary roads. The centre of heavy lighting on the southern front has now snifted from Kharkov to the approar*.*r> to Poltava. The Russians have engaged big forces of enemy tanks and iniantry south of Oposaina. A second Russian thrust is bearing down towards Poltava along the railway from Knarkov and was last reported at Vodyanya, 42 miles north of Poltava. The strategic importance of Poltava cannot be over-estimated, it defends the approaches to the Dnieper itssK. A Quick Russian advance here nugnt sp*ib the entire German front in inc I kraine. Reuter says the Russian pressure against Briansk continues, though the advance in some sectors has been slowed down by the weather and by difficult forest country. The Russian successes mean more than the actual tactical gains on each front. The successes mean that a 1000-miie German front, undented for 18 months, is now irretrievably shattered. Great gaps have been torn in it in the Velikiye Luki. Ziayma, Orel, Byelgorod, Kharkov and Donetz areas. Paris radio reports that tae Russians have launcned new attacks in the area of Staraya Russa with huga tank, forces. They broke through tne German lines at two points. bu t were driven back in counter-attacks. The Russians are continuing violent attacks in the Izyum area v. nere they are deploying large tank forces with considerable air support, and despite German counter-attacks they continue to make some advance. Fierce fighting is also going on south-west of Vorosailograd. lhe radio adds that Fresh Russian concentrations have been observed in thr area of Briansk, where a flare-up of the batUe is to be expected soon.