The Wilmington morning star., 1943-12-29
Red Troop: Push South
ward Toward Border
OF Old Rumania
KOROSTISHEV TAKEN
Shock Force Beats Back Is
German Counter At
tacks

-RNThe Soviet second Ukrainian
army, sweeping through 60 more
communities in its fast-moving
winter offensive, has forced the
Teterev river and captured Koro-
stishev, is miles east of Zhitomir,
in fierce street fighting and at
the same time is pushing south
westward toward the border of
Rumania, lis miles away.
Another important Russian
shock force beat back Is German
counter-attacks and killed more
than 1000 Germans as it captured
several populated places in north
ern White Russia on the approach
es to Vitebsk. Moscow reports said
the Russians, who were bearing
down toward this German fortress
from the north anG. east, were
five miles away in enc sector.
Tense Engagement
Far to the south, in the Dnieper
bend, more thar 80 German tanks
and 1000 men were destroyed af-
ter tense engagement north Of
Kirovograd in which German at
tack with large forces of infantry
and tanks cracked up against a
deadly Russian artillery and NOR
tar barrage.
The Moscow midnight communi-
que, recorded by the Soviet moni-
tor from a broadcast, said the
Germans were forced to withdraw
to their original positions in this
area.
In the Kiev area the Soviet Of
fensive, now in its sixth day, has
wrested back fully half the ground
the Germans had painfully won in
six costly weeks Of counter-offen-
sive. The Germans were falling
back so rapidly they were forced
to abandon rs big guns, 10000
mines, 10000 shells, nearly a mil
lion cartridges and LOO trucks to
the Russians, who also took a con-
siderable number CT prisoners.
Thirty-six German tanks and self
propelled guns were destroyed and
six were captured.
Equipment Abandoned
Moscow reports said the area
was strewn with German dead and
abandoned equipment as the Rus
slams moved to within artillery
range of the strategic rail junction
of Zhitomir.
The Moscow daily communique,
reported at least two more towns
captured in the fast-growing bulge
to the south Of this area where
the Russians appeared headed
straight for Berdichev and the
Besearabian border. These were
the Nekhvoroschch, II miles north
east of Berdichev, and Pavoloch,
Is miles southwest of Fastov. The
Russians had previously captured
Vcheraisne, marking cut a 22-nile
salient posing an ultimate threat
to Rumaria and an immediate
threat to the Germans important
east-west communications.
When the Russians first swept
out west Of Kiev to capture Zslito-
mir on Nov. IA the Germans held
grimly against a southern push
and maintained line from Fastov
west to Khorlyevka and Zhitomir
This German-held floor" on the
Kiev bulge indicated Nazi fears
against a southern push and was
a prelude to their determined couln-
ter-attack that took back Zhitomir
and rolled east to the J eterev river,
Now the Russians have broken
through that floor and in addition
to driving straight west for Zhito-
mir are pounding alon that rail
line southwest to Kazatin, Vim
nitsa and Zhmerinka. This line,
part of the h1tomir- Odessa yorth-
south communications route, is an
important Nazi feeder route for its
southern front.
German reports of fighting in
this area said the Soviet large
scale attacks" continued with
strong infantry and tank forces,
but said tae Russians had been
checked with the loss of 20 tanks.
VIII