Evening star., 1944-03-06
Ukraine Drive
CutsLast Nazi
Rai|wayLi
Germans Must Divert
Southern Traffic
Through Rumonio
MAP on Page A-3.)
BY the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press
MOSCOW, March 6.-The 1st
Ukrainian Army, rolling south
west in a new offensive under
Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov, ap-
peared today to have cut the
Odessa-Lwow railroad, last i'm
portant German line of commu-
nication out of Southern Russia.
In the third day of their power
drive, the Russians were fighting
their way into Volochisk, railway
junction just east of Tarnopol,
Soviet dispatches said. With that
railway line neutralized the Ger
mans would be forced to divert their
southern rail traffic through Ru-
mania
Zhukov, assistant commander in
chief, who took his first command at
the front since the battle of Moscow
when Gen. Nikolai Vatutin became
III, made a brilliant start in this
offensive, aimed at isolating the
huge enemy force still standing in
Southern Russia as far east as the
lower Dnieper River.
IL NaZi Divisions Routed.
Twelve Nazi divisions were routed
and more than 500 communities lib
Grated in two days, London dis
patches said, quoting a Moscow
announcement.
Volochisk is so miles north of the
Rumanian frontier in Southern
Poland.
Twenty salvos from 224 guns
thundered in Moscow in celebration
Of the new victories, announced by
Premier Stain in a special order of
the day and by two Soviet COM
muniques.
The announcements said at least
5000 Nazis already have been slain
in the push, which cracked German
defenses on l12-mile front and
surged forward up to 81 miles.
Joining with previously won posi-
tions in old Poland, the new line
gave the Russians a salient from
Dembrovitsi in the north, southwest
to Lutsk and then southeast to
Belozerka-a line about l65 miles
long
Nazis Admit Break-Through.
The German communique yester-
day admitted break-throughs. and a
Berlin broadcast said the Russians
were attacking with at least IL to IA
rifle divisions and three tank corps
more than 100000 men.
The Soviet bulletin also announced
that far to the north. where the
Red Army has established bridge
head across the Narova River in
Estonia south of Narva, the Russians
improved their positions. The COM
munlque made no mer ton of the
fighting as Pskov, gateway to the
Battles, where the Russians last
were reported five miles north and
east of the rail center.
Moscow also reported that Russian
torpedo and attack planes had sunk
two transports, aggregating $4,000
tons, and 700-ton mine-sweeper in
attacks on German convoy in the
Barents Sea and had damaged a
7,000-ton transport. The sea route
is one which the Nazis could use
either in withdrawing or reinforcing
their divisions in Northern Finland
IA Big Towns Liberated.
The great Ukrainian drive, the
communique said, liberated IA large
towns as the Russians advanced
southwestWard from the Shepetovka
area-the southern side of their
westernmost salient into old Poland
Advancing southwark, the Russians
swept down on the railroad from
Shepetovka and Vishgorodok, 81
miles northeast of Ternapl.
The bulletin said heavy battle
was fought for the town of Belogo-
rodka, "a miles southwest of Shepe-
tovka, but Soviet tankmen, assisted
by infantry, antitank riflemen and
artillery, finally overwhelmed the
NaZis.
The enemy suffered enormous
losses in manpower and equipment
in all sectors of the 'front.'" the
communique said. AN enormous
amount of war material was cap
tured and shattered enemy divisions
abandoned their artillery, ammuni-
ton dumps and war material il,
their retreat