KIEV SALIENT BATTLES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 280, 26 November 1943, Page 5

KIEV SALIENT BATTLES

TENSE MOMENT FOR RUSSIANS STRONG NAZI ATTACKS HELD (By Talegraph—Pre m Association—Copyright! Reed. 7 p.m. London, Nov. 24. General Vatutin’s armies on the southern flank of the Kiev salient are facing the tensest moment since the Germans’ large-scale counter-blow from Zhitomir began eleven days ago, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. The fiercest fighting of the German counter-attack is raging to-day 40 to 45 miles west of Kiev. Massed German tanks, infantry, and planes at this point are striking up the Zdivzh River valley, trying to drive a wedge through toward the Zhitomir-Kiev highway which crosses the river thirty miles west of Kiev. Fresh German reserves have arrived to strengthen the enemy s attack, and bitter hand-to-hand combats are swaying as the enemy’s efforts increase.

Moscow military observers explain that although the Russians have been thrice forced to withdraw to new positions, the enemy has so far failed to penetrate the Russian line or encircle any part of the Red Army forces.

Moscow radio stated that the fighting in the area ot Brusilov and Chernyakhov is extraordinarily fierce, but the Germans nowhere are able to drive a wedge into the Russian lines. The Russians, however, have abandoned several inhabited localities under pressure from numerical superiority. Berlin radio claimed that the Germans have recaptured Chernyakhov and Brusilov.

The German news agency's military commentator von Hammer claims that the Germans in the area of the Zhito-mir-Kiev highway have cut off the Russian forces, which are doomed to destruction. He said the Russians launched relief attacks north and north-east of Zhitomir.

Around the great Kiev salient, the Russians made good progress yesterday. They hold some 200 miles of the western bank of the Dnieper, and striking far out to the north-west of Kiev they are holding the Germans back on both sides of the Pripet River as they advance towards the marshes.

The Germans, in their communique, say they are offering a stubborn resistance to the advance and also speak of strong Russian attacks north of Gomel, where the Red Army is pushing forward to complete the encirclement of the city. South of Kiev, Inc situation is developing, and the Germans report Red Army penetrations in three sectors in the Dnieper bend.

The Russian military commentator, Colonel Akomov, described the Ger-

I man gains against the Red Army’* ■ southern flank as "partial successes.” ' He added that the Germans had not so i much aimed at capturing Zhitomir as striking a blow northwards to cut the i communications of the Red Army j forces operating in the southern section of the Pripet Marshes, which they I failed to do. I Moscow dispatches say that some | Red Army forces fighting in the j Gomel sector are within the desolate I Pripet Marshes area, which is swampy and wooded and intersected by numberless rivers. Guerrilla guides are showing the Red Army men trails through the wilderness of marshes and the welter of confusing tracks. Isvestia declares that the Russian* are rolling back German tank unit* west of Ryechitsa and that the Germans are covering their retreat by a powerful screen of fire. According to Vichy radio, Russian armoured troops succeeded in breaking through in front of Krivoi Roe but were forced to withdraw after fierce fighting. They are still exerting heavy pressure, Russian pressure has also increased against the Nikopol bridgehead, and the Russians on the Dnieper have redoubled their efforts on the bridgeheads south of Pereyslavl and northwest of Cherkasy added Vichy radio. The Soviet night communique states that the Russians in the Lower Pripet area continued the offensive and captured Khoiniki, 27 miles south-west of Mosir and the junction of the Chernigov-Mosir and Koroston-Rye-chitsa roads. They also captured 60 inhabited places. The Red Army north of Gomel improved their positions on the west bank of the Sol River.