The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-02
Storm Pskov,
Rip Vitebsk
CcontInued from Page u

reported imminent.
Another 200 miles to the south
east, Siberian veterans were smash
ing at the gates Of Vitebsk, key
base of northern White Russia,
from the north, east and south, and
spearheads were within six miles Of
the city proper.
The scythe-like sweep around
Narva In one Of the biggest river
crossing operations Of the Baltic
campaign, carried the Russians
near the scene Of Peter rs great
victory over the Swedes in 1704.
The Red Army vanguard reached
the Narva river south Of the city
of Narva on Feb. 1 after 93-mile
pursuit of the Germans fleeing
headlong from Leningrad.
Heavy Defenses
The troops found the west bank
of the Narva defended by thick
belt of pillboxeS, trenches, barbed
wire, and thousands Of gun en-
placements.
A few days ago after heavy artil-
lery preparation staggered the de-
tense system, Soviet units slashed
across the river. The Germans
counter attacked time after time.
At one point II counter-attacks
were beaten Oh in three hours by
a single unit. After several days
Of bitter combat, the Russians Sc
cured a bridgehead 81 miles wide
and 10 miles deep.
Stormovik assault planes flying at
treetop level supported the Russian
advance.
(Stockholm reports said Soviet
storm troops had captured the
northern an deastern suburbs OF
Pskov and we're battling in the CEN
ter of the town against German
suicide rear guard0
The multi-pronged attacks put
the Russians Baltic campaign IN
high gear all along a 300-mile front
from Narva to Vitebsk with the
possibility that the Germans Will
be cleared from Estonia and perhaps
Latvia and Lithuania by spring.
Gen. Leonid A. Govorov's north"
ern army forced the Narva river
sout hof the town Of the same name
on q 2l-mile front and pushed on
at least 10 miles to emerge behind
Narvas defenses and sever the
Narva- Tallinn railroad with the
capture Of Auvere.
Narva Cut OF
The drive cut of Narva from all
supplies and reinforcement except
(The dispatch implied that the
Russians also had cut the Narvatal-
linn highway one mile north OF
Auyere and reached the Gulf OF
Finland, another two miles to the
north)
Two German infantry regiments
totaling perhaps 5000 men were put
to rout in one sector. They anan-
doned IS guns, 40 mortars ana
large quantities of ammunition ana
fines. In another sector, 1900 Ger
mans were killed in two days Of
fighting, while three tanks, four
self propelled guns and 16 field guns
were captured.
Besides the railroad town of Au-
we're. nine miles west of Narva, the
Russians also captured Vyoska, eight
miles southwest OF Narva. and Nets
kula, IL miles southwest OF Narva,
100 miles east Of Tallinn and Is
miles inside Estonia.
Govorov's and Gen. MARKHAM M.
popov's forces joined In storming
the last defenses Of Pskov after cap
turing 10 more towns and villages
Yesterday on an offensive arc curv-
ing into the outskirts Of the strategic
city guarding the invasion route to
southern Estonia and northern
Latvia.
Pskov was reported all but isolated
with the only two railways left in
German hands under Soviet artil-
lery fire. The Russians cut the
Pskov- Polotsk railway, last German
held north south line in northern
Russia, yesterday with the capture
of Russaki, As miles southeast OF
Pskov.
I'm these battles" the Soviet high
command said in its midnight com
munique, 1.-THE enemy Is suffering
heavy losses in men and material"
Ostrov, big German junction on
the Pskov-W Warsaw trunk railway,
also virtually has been neutralized
following the capture of Sosnitsi,
ii miles to the east and 81 miles
south of Pskov.
More than 80 towns and villages
were captured in the new offensive
aimed at Vitebsk. including Pekari,
II miles north; Skukovichi, seven
miles east, and Selyuty, six miles
south.