SOVIET PRESSURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 February 1942, Page 3

SOVIET PRESSURE

AGAINST STIFFENING RESISTANCE PROGRESS IN UKRAINE. < GERMANS ON DEFENSIVE AT SEBASTOPOL. LONDON, February 15. Soviet forces are pressing the attack on all fronts. German reserves are being thrown into defensive battles and the “Red Star” states that Russian troops in the forward zones are meeting severe resistance. In one area, in two days, nearly 2,000 German officers and men were killed. In the Leningrad area Russian cavalry have scored further successes, opening the way for the Soviet main forces.

Further headway has been made by General Zhukov’s forces into White Russia and they are stated to be now only 72 miles from the old Polish frontier. In the Ukraine, Marshal Timoshenko’s forces are-, making good progress and the Germans have been dislodged from five more places. Russian guerillas in the vicinity of Kharkov are reported to have destroyed a German divisional ' headquarters, killing the

commanding general. The Russians during the last two days have been attacking heavily on the Sebastopol front, in the Crimea. The Germans claim that these attacks have been repulsed, but admit that they are on the defensive in the Sebastopol area. VON BRAUCHITSCH RECALLED TO COMMAND REPORTED. HITLER’S REALISATION OF FAILURE.

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, February 15. The “New York Times” Stockholm correspondent says that Hitler unexpectedly summoned General von Brauchitsch to his headquarters. Wellinformed German militarists comment that Hitler, after two months’ failures, realised his incapacity to lead the Russian campaign and therefore is asking Brauchitsch to resume command. Informed quarters add that Hitler also seems emotionally exhausted by his failure against Russia. It is significant that he wept copiously at Dr. Todt’s funeral.

SPANISH HELP AVAILABLE FOR GERMANY. . ACCORDING TO FRANCO. (Received This Day. 9.45 a.m.) SEVILLE, February 15. If there was a danger of the Russians defeating the Germans, declared General Franco, in an address to Army leaders, Spain would not only send a division of volunteers to Russia, but a million Spaniards would offer themselves. Germany for twenty years, he added, had acted as Europe’s defence against Communism. FRENCH VOLUNTEERS ANTI-BOLSHEVIK LEGION.

(Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) VICHY .February 15. A new contingent of volunteers has left Versailles to join the “French AntiBolshevik Legion on the Eastern front.” GAINS IN BATTLES

OFFICIAL REPORT GIVES SOME DETAILS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.10 a.m.) RUGBY, February 15. Though this morning’s Soviet war communique maintains the reticence of the Soviet communiques during the past ten weeks, merely stating that durnig the night Russian forces continued offensive operations against the enemy, it is clear, from a supplement to this communique, that considerable losses continue to be inflicted on the Germans, both in men and material. The supplementary communique says: “In one sector our men routed a fortified point, killed 340 enemy officers and men, captured 17 tanks and guns, 50 horses, and other weapons. In two days on several sectors on the Leningrad front, the enemy lost in killed, 1800 officers and men. Our troops captured booty, including 27 guns, 26 automatics and one radio transmitter. They destroyed, during the same period, two tanks, 88 guns and 20 machine-guns. In one sector of the south-western front our troops liberated three localities, wiping out 700 German officers and men. On another sector of the same front one unit repulsed enemy counter-attacks and captured three anti-tank guns, ten trench mortars, 26 machine guns, 20,000 rounds of ammunition, and other weapons.”