The sun., 1919-03-29
REDS 9Th ARMY Is
CAUGHT IN A TRAP
Kolchak's Force Advances so
Miles and Takes More Than
1000 Prisoners.
BRITISH SUPPLIES HELP
Recent Defeats Place BOlshe-
Wiki Position in Peril
in Russia.
Special Cable Despatch TO Tue Sun from tie

speciai Catis Despatch 10 THE Sun from tie
london Ttraes sertfce.
Copyright, 1873: oil rights reserUed.
OMsK, via Pcl,in, March rs (deiayed) |
Tho Offensive from the Urals has
proved to be a great success. the whole
front having advanced roughly nifty
miles The remnants OF the Bolshevist
NTH army are entrapped between Ufa
and Chisma and are endeavoring to
force a passage westward. In the north
the Russian forces. marching west from
Okhensk are astride the Fiatak-Perm
and many OF the enemy are
cut of.
The country 10 heavily wooded in both
this district ana in the neighborhood Of
Ufa- affording abundant cover for the
etreatinR Bolshevists and making opera
ton against them difncult. Warned by
their experience at Perm. the Bolshe-
visits withdrew much Of their material
before the railways In their rear were
occupied. Despite this supplies estimated
at 10000 tons, have been captured.
The prisoners 20 far exceed 1000, and
many have not yet been brought in.
Great numbers Of the enemy were killed.
In the Sarapol sector the Bolshevists
are making a strong resistance. but are
being forced back.
storms Hinder Operations.
Frost and snowstorms have seriously
interfered with the operations. For the
last two months the weak points on the
Ural front have been Cfa and Orenburg.
at both Of which the Bolsheviki gained
considerable ground. The troops In the
Ufa sector having been reinforced and
reorganisod are now doing splendidly,
one brigade marching 200 tersts in nine
days and occupying the railway at Chill
som. The Cossacks under Dutoff seem
to have broken down altogether and now
are a negligible quantity in this situation
What has to be recognized Is that the
new army mobilization in west Siberia
and east Russia, composed OF boys ls
and 20, has really become a disciplined
force. Recent victories have filled Of
ficials and men with a spirit OF emula-
ton, while friendly rivalry between the
various units Is running high. Since the
correspondent visited the front with Ad-
uiral Kolchak there has been a miracu-
lous change in the whole character OF
the new army as regards organization.
equipment and spirit. and II may be con-
ffdently expected that when the new for
nations, whose training is nearing
completion, reinforce the armies in the
field the penetrate to the centre o.
Russia will be successfully accomplished
IN quick time.
Fifth Army Surrounded.
Practically, indeed, It Is believed there
II no loophole by which the retiring
BoIshevists can escape II Is almost
certain their whole Fifth Army Is en-
closed Success Is reported from al
points on the Ural front and there Is
every prospect that the Tenth Army. ir
the Perm region. will also be destroyed
Admiral Kolchak thus struck another
severe blow against the BolsheVists. ano
It liz within the bounds OF possibility
| that the victorious advance now pro
ceeding will involve the collapse OF h'
whole Bolshevist army operating agains
the Urals. Such an occurrence coulc
not but have a profoundly discouragini
| effect upon the BolshevK leaders anC
| shake the whole Bolshevist position II
Russia The imminence of the sprini
thaw unhapply will hinder the full de
velopment OF the Russian successes nov
attained, as for several weeks In tn
| immediate future all roads Will becom
| impossible.
The Ice will hold the rivers, however
| for another month, ana Win tne raj!
ways still serving the Russian force
can still make important inroads int
the enemy country.
Bolsheviki Disorganized.
From the Bolshev.st side prisoners re
port disorganization and dissatisfaction
with the leaders. also wholesale deser
tons, especially by the recently mobilize
troops. One Bolshevist report dealin
with the manufacturing situation an
shortage of food states that % per cent
of the metal and 90 per cent of the cos
used In Russia comes from the Do
Basin and the Trails, from both Of whic
regions the Bolshevists are cut off wit
disastrous results in regard to their sur
ply.
The Bolshevists, therefore. have moth
ing TO fall back upon in the shape c
material, while the fact that the Who'll
J territory occupied by them is in n stat
of suppressed revulsion does not promis
them much in the way OF reinforcement
| of men.
Hope now is running high in Siberi
that the present victorious advanC
} marks the beginning of the erd OF I'll
Boishevist nightmare II the Allies a
} a whole have been extraordinarily LUKE
warm in their support OF the Kolcha
Government. which slowly and surel
liz achieving supremacy. those loo;
: allied representatives who did every
thing possible to induce their Cover
ments TO support Admiral Kolchak OF
now justified by events.