GAINS ALL ALONG FRONT

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22154, 28 September 1943, Page 3

GAINS ALL ALONG FRONT

CONTINUED ADVANCE OF RUSSIANS FIGHTING IN SUBURBS OF DNEPROPETROVSK SOVIET REPUBLIC OF WHITE RUSSIA ENTERED LONDON, Sept. 27. Gains all along the front are again reported from Russia, with the recapture of 1100 towns and villages today. Russian forces are fighting in suburbs of Dnepropetrovsk on the eastern hank of the Dnieper River, and in several places they are reported to he reinforcing small bridgeheads across the river. Dnepropetrovsk in times of peace had a population of 500,000 and had important steel works. The Germans are reported to have evacuated Temryuk, in the Kuban. On the northern shore of the Sea of Azov the Russians have reached within 25 miles of the neck of the Crimea Peninsula. \ Red Army spearheads yesterday crossed the border into the Soviet Republic of White Russia, which has been in German occupation for more than two years. They entered White Russia 75 miles west of Briansk and captured the town of Khotin. Russian armies are now about 70 miles from Mogilev and 40 miles from Vitebsk, both of which cities are in White Russia. Soviet troops closing in on Gomel, south-west of Briansk, are about 30 miles from the town in a wide arc running south and east of it. South of Gomel the Red Army is grimly investing the city of Kiev.

Dnieper Line Cracking: Tonight’s Soviet communique states: Advances up to 10 miles were made in the Gomel and Mogilev directions today. Chernobuisk was taken in the Kiev area. The Red Army also captured the Oner.dovo railway station, five miles west of Smolensk. Reuter's Moscow correspondent declares that the Dnieper line is already Tracking and is likely to split wide open soon. The German losses in men are huge. Thousands of tons of valuable war material now massed east of the river will never make the return journey except In Russian hands. Russians Surge Forward As the Russians on the east bank of the Dnieper River surge forward more and more Germans are being forced into the river many German bodies are floating down towards the battlefields further south. Along the whole front from west of Smolensk to south of Dnepropetrovsk the Germans have reached positions where any further retreat in one sector will menace the entire line, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. Between Kiev and Kremenchug the Russians are doing their utmost to extend and reinforce the small bridgeheads on the high west bank. A decisive struggle is proceeding on the east bank on the outskirts of Kiev. The Russians are wearing down German pockets around Kremenchug by flank attacks and frontal attacks. The Russian column advancing against Kremenchug from the north is less than 20 miles distant.