SOVIET TACTICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1943, Page 3

SOVIET TACTICS

STRONG ENEMY DEFENCES BYPASSED GERMANS OUTMANOEUVRED. DARING & SUCCESSFUL RAID. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) RUGBY, February 8. In the Kursk sector it appears that the Russians have advanced about 20 miles beyond the high tide of their offensive a year ago. They are pushing on to strongholds established by the Germans in 1941, in the Orel, Kursk, Byelgorod-Kharkov areas, and successfully held through last winter. Similarly, the capture of Kramatorskaya is typical of the bypassing tactics which have lately proved so fruitful. The Germans were expecting a frontal assault on the Donetz basin, but General Vatutin, flinging out advanced columns on h*s left across the Donetz at Izyum, in the north-western corner of the industrial area, turned east and attacked Kfamatorskaya along the railway from the west. South of the Don, the enemy bridgehead has been entirely cleared and the Russians confront the southern flank of the Donetz basin. “Along the Gulf of Taganrog, which is generally frozen at this season, a daring motor-cycle raid on a largescale is also reported from Moscow. The Russians broke through the enemy’s defences and attacked three regimental headquarters, killing several thousand men and capturing much booty, including 1,000 head of cattle. •