The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-04
Germans Are Driven From Gateway of SOviet's Pre-
 CiOus Caucasian Oil
AXIS PLANES CAREFULLY Y WATCHING PREPARATION
700 Enemy Killed Within Few Hours in One Sector
 in Night Attack
BY HENRY SHAPIRO United Press Staff COrrespondentl

United Press Staff COrrespOndentl
 Moscow, Jan. 4.-(UP) The Red Army, driving the Germans back from the gate way to Russia's vast store of Caucasian oil, developed an attack from two directions today on the Axis base at Prokhadnaya, 28 miles west of Mozdok. Front dispatches said the Russians were clos ing in on Prokhadnaya, a strategic rail center, and the fall of the city appeared imminent. Mozdok, threat ened by the Germans for three months, fell to lightning week end assault by the Red Army.
 (Axis sources broadcast reports that the Russians were massing on the southern front for what was dee Scribed as "a general attack" The Nazi-controlled radio Paris quoted German reports as saying that Axis planes were carefully watching the Russian preparations)
 In taking Mozdok, their fourth major victory in six days on their l,100-nile battle front, the Fissians took also Maj yobeck, 20 miles to the southeast, and Elkhotovo, 40 miles to the southwest. -5 sS-s
 They had cut both arms of the, main Rostov-Balu railroad and from Mozdok, Malgobek and ElaA- hotovo Russian motorized infantry and Klimvohoshikov tanks were in hot pursuit of steadily retiring Axis forces.
 The fall of Prokhadnaya, where the arms of the railroad meet ta continue northward to Rosotv. seemed iminent, and if the Ger mans lost that city they would face the choice of general retreat or the risk of annihilation of an army split into two sections.
 The noon communique reported an unbroken succession of gains on six fronts from Velikie Lukie west of Moscow to the Caucasus Noun tains, where the fal lof Mozdok had removed, apparently for the winter if not forever, the Axis threat to the richest Caucasus oil fields.
 During night of constant attack the Russians stormed and captured several inhabited places, the noon communique reported.
 Heavy enemy losses were reported 700 killed within few hours in one sector only.
 Eight Tanks Disabled
 Driving into one Cossack village the Russians disabled eight enemy tanks and captured four guns and eight motor trucks.
 Southwest and south of Stalin- grad, where Gen. Grigori Zhukov has now joined two fronts in one gigantic offensive, the Germans were desperately throwing reserves into their lines in vain and costly attempt to stop the Russians.
 Two full regiments, 5000 men, of Adolf Hitler's black uniformed SIS troops, pick of the German fighting forces, were thrown into one sector last night. The Russians attacked at once and, smashing them, drove forward for new gains, the noon communique reported.
 Village after village fell to the tanks and infantrymen before dawn today.
 Tn stalingrad city. the Russians sent night combat forces Altering into the German lines where they and destroyed IS block houses and three dugouts, the noon communique said.
 On the middle Don, night fight- ing troops captured Q number of places and in two see- tors tanks, attacking alone. made important gains.
 In one of thess sectors the ' tanks drove right through the Ger man front line, captured three vil- lages, and sent the Germans M- in disorder, leaving thsiy arms and stores behind them.
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