Evening star., 1943-11-13
Zhitomir Captured by Russians;
Major German Railway Line Cut
Between Leningrad and Odessa
Vital Junction
Falls to Leader
Of Kiev Triumph

VI NIeV triumph
LONDON R.-Russian forces
have captured Zhitomir, cut
ting the major German rail-
road from Odessa to Lenin-
grad, an order of the day from
Marshal Joseph Stain said
tonight.
Capture of the vital rail
center 30 miles west of Kiev
was announced in a special
order of the day from Marshal
Stain to Gen. Nikolai Vatutin,
conqueror of Kiev.
Zhitomir is a hub of rail
lines and highways in the
Western Ukraine and lies only
so miles from the prewar
Polish border.
3, the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, Nov. 13.-Russian
troops have driven within a r.
mile artillery range of the
Odessa Leningrad railroad in
their wide breakthrough toward
Poland and Rumania and ad-
vanced Cossacks are reported
operating in the immediate vi
cinity of zhitomir, junction on
the communication line.
The German communique to-
day disclosed fresh retreats on
that critical front far west of
Kiev, saying fighting is proceed
ing between numerically superior
enemy forces advancing on
Zhitomir and German forma-
tions"
Berlin boadcasts said the Rus
slams had massed 30 infantry
divisions and several tank corps
perhaps 100000 men-near Krivoi
Rog in the Dnieper Bend area
and heavy fighting may be ex-
pected there shortly"
The Germans said their coun-
terattacks northwest and west of
Kiev wiped out or drove back
Russian tank spearheads. A
regiment of Russians was re-
ported dispersed east of Perekop,
northern entrance to the Crimea,
after crossing salt marshesD
Key Railline Threatened.
Latest Official Russian reports
placed the main force of Gen.
Vatutin's 1st Ukrainian Army within
Is miles of Zhitomir, having passed
Korostyshev, last important town on
the way to the Odessa-Leningrad
Railroad.
Cutting the railroad would be a
major calamity in communications
Tor the Germans and would force
the Germans to use a circuitous
single gauged rail system almost 100
miles west of today's front.
All the 43-mile stretch of the line
between Zhitomir and Korosten. in
the Western Ukraine, was i'm
minently threatened. The nearest
approach was west OF by-passed
Korostyshev.
The Kiev front had been widened
to $50 miles from a point south of
Rechltsa, near Gomel and the Pripet
marshes, to the sector near Berdi-
chev, in the Western Ukraine.
Both sides were employing large
numbers Of tanks, but Gen. Vatutin's
army was assisted also by strong
units Of Cossack cavalry. The wealth.
er was getting colder day by day.
Traffic between the hard pressed
German forces north and south of
Zhitomir appeared likely to be cut
soon, if it has not already been in
terrupted. Meanwhile, the main
forces of the 1st Army were re-
ported massing for direct assault
on the rail center, front dispatches
indicated, after days advance
which netted them 100 towns, an
unspecified number of prisoners and
great quantities Of war supplies.
Reds Progress Steadily.
Steady progress by Red Army
spearheads toward Korosten, another
rail junction on the Leningrad-
Odessa line northwest of Kiev, also
was reported in the Red Army COM
munique. South of Rechitsa, where
Soviet troops were driving into the
Pripet marshes to flank the German
held stronghold of Gomel, 1000 Nazis
were killed and many prisoners
taken, the communique said. Here
again the retreating Germans gave
up large stores of war gear
In smashing drive against be-
leaguered Germans northeast of
Kerch on the Crimean Peninsula,
Red Army forces destroyed f1otilla
of transports endeavoring to evacu-
ate Nazi troops. There were no sur
vivors, dispatches said. while in land
fighting another 1,500 Germans were
slain.
Germans and Rumanians. en-
trenched in the hills around Kerch,
were reported blasting Russian land
ing operations with heavy gunflre,
but, aided by low-hanging fog, Red
Army troops were gradually estab-
fishing strong shore positions under
cover by Soviet artillery and air
force bombers.
Nazis Lose Kerch. Battle.
(The London radio, broadcast
ing report from its Moscow
correspondent, which was re-
corded by CHS, said the Germans
already have lost the battle of
the Kerch bridgeheads and are
blowing up buildings in the town
Of Kerch In readiness for a re-
treat to the interior of the
Crimea.
cSoon," the broadcast con-
tinued, 'the Soviet Army of the
(See RUSSIA. Page A-31