Evening star., 1943-01-08
Soviet Tanks and Planes Smash
NoziAttemptto Form NewLin
Rostov Now OnIy 65 Miles Away
Civilians Are Reported
Evucuoting Rzhev,
Northwest Of Moscow
BY HENRY C. CASSIDY,

MOSCOW, Jan. 8.-With their
bombers roaring low overhead to
blast path for their tanks, the
Russians have smashed an at
tempt by the hard-pressed Ger
mans to form a new defense line
on the lower Don and are con-
tinuing their advance in that
sector as we'll as in the Caucasus,
1t was announced today.
A 10-mile advance to within 65
miles of the important Sea of Azov
port of Rostov was reported.
For the first time in a week
Soviet aviation was reported playing
a prominent part in dislodging and
throwing the enemy back as the Red
Army pressed its Don Valley wedge
closer to Rostov, gateway to the
Caucasus. Forty more inhabited
points in the Caucasus were said to
have fallen before tank-led Russian
infantrymen.
Stubborn Resistance.
The Germans were reported to be
offering stubborn resistance" in
one sector but to be unable to check
the Russians steady advance.
(T'he British radio, in a broad
cast recorded in New York by
CHS, said the Germans had an
nounced the evacuation of the
civilian population of Rzhev, a
stronghold on the Upper Volga
100 miles northwest of Moscow,
as precautionary meaSure.')
The Soviet early communique re-
ported that the Germans, retreating
swiftly in the North Caucasus, had
yielded Stepnoye, 38 miles north of
Mozdok, and Sovletskaya, which is
only 30 miles east of Georgievsk and
so miles east Of Pyatigorsk.
The retreating Axis troops burned
and blasted villages in their wake
and left land mines in the roads.
The Russians estimated that more
than 1000 mines had been dug up
by their sappers in the last three
days.
More Towns Captured.
Between Stepnoye and Soviet
skaya, which is due north of re-
captured Prokhladnenski, the Rus
slams also said they occupied the
towns of Solomenskoye, Sukhaya-
Palma and Severny,
(Moscow's midday communique,
recorded IN London by the Soviet
monitor, said that number of
populated places were occupied
in last nights fighting in the
Caucasus but did not identify
them.
CThe German radio, after al
most week Cf Russian successes
which opened with the capture of
Mozdok and Nalchik, admitted
reverses in the Caucasus last
night for the first time0
The many-fold advance on Ros-
tov, in and below the Don Valley,
had the most forward Red Army
columns 10 miles beyond Bolshaya
Orlovka, on the Sal River about
80 miles southeast of where the Sal
flows into the Don.
Base of Wedge Widened.
The base of that wedge was wild
ened by the capture of Valkovo and
Zazerskov, deep in the Don Bend;
Nikolaevskaya, on the north bank
of the Don IL miles west of Mar
insk, which was previously reported
recaptured; and Martinovka, about
IS miles southeast of Bolshaya Or
lovka.
Valkovo is 20 miles east of Tat
sinskaya, also previously reported
recaptIed, and zazerskov is 20
miles south of the latter city,
which is a railway station on the
Stalingrad-Likha line.
The newest gains indicated
clearly that surrounded German
garrisons were being mopped up
back of the Russian forward posi-
tions in this centered wedge aimed
at Rostov, while the f1anking at
tempts south of Millerovo and
and southwest of Kotelnikovski
were being pushed.
All these efforts were aimed ulti-
mately at Rostov, but the primary
objective of both the columns drlv-
Ing south of Millerovo and of the
right side of the central wedge was
Likhaya, which is at the junction of
(See RUSSIAN. Page A-6)