RUMANIAN INDEPENDENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 204, 26 August 1944, Page 5

RUMANIAN INDEPENDENCE

SOVIET ATTITUDE DEFINED RUSSIAN DRIVE TO DANUBE BASIN, Recd. 10 p.m. London, Aug. 25. The Russiafi Foreign Office has issued the following statement: “ In view of events in Rumania, the Soviet Government considers it necessary to confirm the declaration, given last April, that the Soviet Union has no intention of acquiring any part of Rumanian territory, of changing the existing social structure, or infringing Rumania’s independence. “The Soviet Government, on the contrary, considers it indispensable to reinstate Rumania’s independence by freeing Rumania from the German yoke. “The Russian High Command declares that if Rumanian troops will cease operations against the Red Army, and if they undertake co-operation with the Red Army to wage war against the Germans for Rumania’s independence, or against the Hungarians for Transylvania’s liberation, then the Red’Army will not disarm the Rumanians, and will, by every means, help them to fulfil their tasks.”

Latest news from the Russian front states that the 2nd and 3rd Russian armies of the Ukrainian Front, driving for the Danube basin, have linked up and are moving toward the river port of Galati and the ultimate seizure of the Ploesti oilfields. The decision of the Rumanians to leave Germany has focussed attention on the whole of the Balkans. It will have a tonic effect upon Turkey, will stimulate Greece and Marshal Tito (leader of the Yugoslav Army of Liberation), and should bring home to the Bulgarian Government the necessity of coming to terms

with the United Nations without argument or delay. It is pointed out that the Germans will do all that is in their power to prevent Allied conquest in the Balkans. The Germans have relied upon Rumania for a third of their oil supplies and a sixth of their supply of wheat.

Great developments are expected in the Balkan countries as a result of Rumania's defection and the swiftly advancing Red Army, The Moscow radio reports fierce armed clashes occurring in northern Transylvania, between the Rumanian population and the Hungarian forces. The Hungarian authorities have made may arrests and seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition. The Bucharest (Rumania) radio says that after the armistice was announced on Wednesday night, the inhabitants of Bucharest flooded out of their homes and surrounded the palace and cheered the King, voicing a desire for peace. For the first time in the war Allied news was given priority on fhe Bucharest radio, says Reuter's listening post. Allied communiques were given fully, and Axis communiques ignored.

The Moscow radio announced that air force bombers, on Wednesday night, mass raided the rail junction of Tilsit. Thirty big fires were started and military trains and dumps directly hit. Two bombers are missing. The Red Army, in Jelgava captured Colonel Alof von Papen, commander of the 406th Regiment, who is a cousin to the former German Ambassador to Turkey, reports the Moscow radio. He is quoted as saying that Himmler’s new appointment has caused general indignation among German army officers.

Moscow radio, quoting a frontline report yesterday, stated: "The whole of the Bessarabian front has been broken, with Russian tanks pressing in on the Germans and Rumanians and seizing them in an iron pincers. The Russians are penetrating deep into the enemy rear after the capture of Kishinev, which fell to an outflanking movement. Kishinev was fortified as a first-class fortress, with four defence belts and anti-tank ditches. All roads out of Kishinev were cut before the Russians stormed the city. Those of the garrison who refused to surrnder were wiped out.” Bacau, mentioned in an Order of the Day, is a centre of eastern Rumanian oil production, but its output is far smaller than that of Ploesti.

Having shot the Luftwaffe from the skies, the Russians are making most rapid headway in their twin drive towards the Gialati gap, says The Times’ Moscow correspondent. Less than 50 miles yesterday morning separated General Tolbukhin's vanguards at Baimaclia and General Malinovsky's forces at Vaslui. A junction can be expected within 24 hours, closing the escape route from Kishinev. The enemy apparently has placed some hopes on high ground between the Pruth and Screth Rivers acting as a brake against General Malinovsky’s armour, but yesterday's attempts to disengage and take up new positions failed.

The Red air force, which on August 20 shot down 80 German planes over the Jassy sector alone, prevented German reserves from coming up, consequently. Vaslui was captured with its stores intact.

?' estimate of the number of Germ; involved in the Rumanian fighting ■•m be ascertained, but the indications are that the strength is considerable.