WAR DEPARTMENT WAR DEPARTMENT GENERAL STAFF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE DIVISION, G-I WASHINGTON, D.C.. MEMORADUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF: Subject: Situation in Ukraine. 1. On August 4th, the situation in the Ukraine along the southern portion of the German-Russian front is believed to be approximately as follows: a. The Russians hold a deep wedge extending westward from the Dnieper on both sides of the Pripet river. This wedge corresponds appraximately to the Pripet marsh area. b. Immediately south of the marshes, Geman forces have advanced to the area between Korosten and the Dnieper river. The depth of this German advance to the east of Korosten is unknown. c. Russian forces hold Kiev and an extensive bridgehead around Kiev on the west bank of the Dnieper. d. The main German effort has been made in the past two weeks in a southeasterly direction along the axis: Zhitomir, Dnepropetrovsk. The left flank of this drive has been protected by the German High Command against the Kiev bridgehead by strong defensive formations of German infantry. Most of the armored divisions of the southern front appear to be concentrated in this "main effort" enveloping drive pushing southeastward from Belaja Zerkow towards Dnepropetrovsk. e. This Geman armored army attained the area of Sveni- gorodka about July 25th and was close to Zinoviesk on July 31st. It is, apparently, on August 4th continning to gain ground in the directions of Dnepropetrovsk and Krivoi Rog. f. Strong Russian forces are fighting with determination in a half circle to the northwest, west and southwest of Zinoviesk. These Russian forces have still an open line of retreat to the east Ukraine over Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporzha. A further line of re- treat is open to than to the southeast into the Crimea. However, the Russians, area for retreat between Zinoviesk and the lower Dnieper is being further compressed daily. |