The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-05
Soviet Forces Only
1OMiles From Rostov
CONTINUED from Page y

eEncuAtlOns, and probably would
lsolate additional enemy troops to
1ho southeast.
The Caucasus situation was be-
coming increasingly critical for the
German armies being squeezed into
the northwest corner Of that Sec
Driving westward below the Yeya
river after cutting on the last means
Ce escape by railroad for the enemy
Caucasus army by taking Kush-
o1ievka and then capturing Stare
Halnskaya, ~ miles to the west, the
5ussians were nearing the sea Of
Azov coast.
They approached the coast also 80
miles south Of stare Mlnskaya after
taking The railroad town OF Kanev-
EkayR. between which and the sea
lie system Of lakes and swamps.
Grim Task
Russian infantry, tanks, cavalry
Proceeded with the grim task Of
#iping out all who would not sur
lender OF the German and satellite
army trapped between Voronezh
md Kursk, and made new gains also
"a the Ukraine Donets basin front
70 the south.
IN its noon communiQue the Red
army command was able to an
nounce new progress on all three
main battle fronts.
Tt was indicated that south OF
BOstov the Russians were not only
8Acing for the coast but were about
90 storm the town Of Bataisk, only
ID miles south Of Rostov.
On the South ostov front, the
noon communique reported, Russian
Hobile troops captured a large in
Mabited place this morning and took
s number Of prisoners as well as two
l7mored cars, four field guns and
Nther spoils not counted. Troops Of
ne guards routed German force
81 1000 men In q fierce two hours
light and destroyed three tanks.
Farther south, where the Russians
are closing IN on Krasnodar, tanks
kNoke into German defenses, killed
bout 1000 Germans and captured
70 tanks, SO field guns, 30 artillery
tractors and other spells, the noon
eoEnlnunique said.
Russia had not yet announced
3 new threat to the German eau
NAsus army, an admission by Ger.
many that landing parties had ef-
tected Q bridgehead near the Black
Sea naval base Of Novorossisk.
Ut was difiicult TO estimate the
number Of troops trapped In the
Area south Of Rostov. There had
been Is divisions, which at full
9trength would number $4,000 men
but more likely had numbered $780,
900. For days the Germans had
been retreating with utmost speed
through Rostov, dispatches report
"a, and London military quarters
estimated that only from $4,000 to
10000 men might now be in the
tkap.)
17,O0O Troops Killed
On the KursH front, where since
HEY started their offensive from
Woronezh Jan. AZ the Russians had
ElleA 1900 troops and captured
27,00A, the Red Army took an adj
ditional 1885 prisoners during the
night, the noon communique said,
after taking 5000 yesterday to
bring their total to nearly 1880.
Fifty-four field guns, SO trench
Inortars, rs machine guns, six
xRdio transmitters and other war
materials were added to the incoil1-
rlete total announced in a special
Communique last night-143 tanks,
SIC guns, 140 trench mortars. $50
machine guns, $4,000 rifles, $4,000
artillery shells, 100000 rounds Of
infantry ammunition, "a radios, a.
SDl trucks, AT motorcycles, 80 rail-
road trains and l22 stores depots
since the drive started Jan. a.
Capture Of a number Of addi-
tional inhabited places on the
Kursk front was announced In the
noon communique.
ION the Ukraine Donets basin
front to the south, the Russians
fighting around captured Kupyansk,
as miles east OF Kharkov. captured
q favorable enemy positions this
morning, killing up to 600 Germans,
capturing prisoners and destroying
three tanks.
Esouth Of Kupyansk. in the