Salt Lake Telegram | 1944-03-04 | Page 1 | Russ Tighten Siege Arc on Pskov; Paralyze Railroads

Russ Tighten Siege Arc on Paralyze Railroads MOSCOW V March 4 UP Gen UP-Gen- Gen General eral Leonid A. A forces completed three quarters encirclement encirclement encirclement encircle encircle- ment of gateway to Latvia and southern Estonia Saturday and virtually halted all traffic over the to the escape railroad out of oC the strategic junction V Extending their mile 22 siege arc to within seven miles south of the Russians paralyzed movement along the War saw trunk railroad five miles to the west and left the threatened garrison only the secondary line west of ot Riga over which to move troops and supplies men hurdled the last water barrier east of in a frontal attack that led to the capture capture capture cap cap- ture of or on th the west bank of ot the Kep river only five miles mUes from the center of or The Russians also seized Mar Mar- eight miles northwest vest of oC ov in relentlessly increasing pressure against the garrison from the northwest north northeast southeast and south The way six-way railway and highway junction now was under artillery fire lire from all six directions V South of General Markian Marklan Mar Mar- kian klan M. M army began an outflanking g drive against on the Warsaw railway from the northeast The initial thrusts won Prudy and 15 miles and 13 miles mUes northeast of oC respectively