SERIOUS CHANGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1942, Page 4

SERIOUS CHANGE

ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT ENEMY PROGRESS EAST OF DONETZ. MAY OPEN WAY TO THRUST IN SOUTH. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.48 a.m.) RUGBY, June 26. The disclosure that the Germans have occupied Kupiansk shows that they have made some progress towards removing the threat to their position further south by the Russian armies on the Upper Donetz. it is presumed that the Russian salient south of Kharkov has been evacuated during the last few days and a gradual retirement effected to the River Skol, which runs from north to south through Kupiansk into the Donetz near Izyum. The Russian front in the south, therefore, may be regarded as running in a more or less straight line from Orel to Taganrog. It is not known whether the present drive is the opening of the main German offensive, but the view is taken that it may develop into it, and that the enemy will use Kupiansk as a springboard for a general attack. News has reached London that the German have made a little more progress in their attack on Sebastopol, but again at very great cost indeed. There is no knowledge of the reported Russian landing along the coast, at Yalta.

ENEMY GAINS IMPORTANT RAILWAY JUNCTION. VIOLENT BATTLE CONTINUES. (Received This Day, 11.4 a.m.) LONDON, June 26. The fall of Kupiansk, in the Kharkov region,, which the Russians have admitted, not only gives the Germans a flying start in their effort to encircle the Soviet forces which drove a dent in General von Bock's line in Marshal Timoshenko’s recent offensive, but also gives them an important railway junction controlling z network supplying the Kharkov front. Large forces of dive-bombers, transferred from the Crimea after they had smashed' Sebastopol’s outer defences, gave powerful support for this major offensive in the Donetz area, southwest of Kharkov. Reports indicate that the present offensive is not yet the Battle of Kharkov, but is a determined attempt to drive a deep wedge across the Donetz. Marshal Timoshenko is now attacking the southern flank of the wedge, which the Germans are making terrific efforts to widen. The Tass Agency says the Germans yesterday intensified their attacks in the Kharkov direction and are pressing eastwards . despite tremendous losses. A violent battle is going on outside Kupiansk and the Russians beat off a number of fierce attacks.