HARDER BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 February 1943, Page 4

HARDER BLOWS

STRUCK BY RUSSIANS AGAINST BROKEN ENEMY LINE. BETWEEN OREL & ROSTOV, .< (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 11. The Russian armies on the 400 miles battlefront between Orel and Rostov are hitting still harder against Germany’s broken defence line. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent declares that Hitler’s forces everywhere are retreating, or striving to stave off annihilation where no way of retreat is left. Kharkov is now within range of the Russians’ guns. The Soviet column which took Chuguyev, south of Kharkov, was this morning less than 20 miles from the great Ukraine city, while other forces, bearing down on Kharkov from Byelgorod and Volshansk, have captured more towns and villages during the past twelve hours. The Columbia Broadcasting system’s Moscow representative says the Russians are fifteen miles from Kharkov and that only two main railway stations separate them from the city. Reuter adds that fierce fighting is raging in the heart of the Donbas coalfield, in mining villages beyond Barvenkova and Kramatorskaya, where German counter-attacks have been flung back with heavy losses. Moreover the Russians advancing from Barvenkova threaten the important railway junction of Losovaya. There is reason to believe that Germany is beginning to experience an acute fuel shortage. It has been obvious throughout the Russian advance that the Germans are abandoning masses of lorries, cars and planes owing to lack of petrol. The German position at Rostov has deteriorated sharply in the past 24 hours. “The Times” Moscow correspondent says Russian infantry are now on the north bank of the Lower Don, which is an important development in the battle for the city.

Rostov is threatened also from the south-east and south-west. Nevertheless hard fighting undoubtedly is ahead. At least 125 miles now separate the Rostov garrison from the last German group in the Western Caucasus, because the recapture of Primorskoakhtarskaya, which was the last railhead on the Sea of Azov, placed the whole coastline between there and the mouth of the Don in Russian hands. “The Times” Stockholm correspondent says reports from Berlin describe the Slavyansk stretch of front, in the centre of which Kharkov is situated, as confused, with friend and foe mixed up.. They emphasise snowstorms and refer to the Russians constantly receiving reinforcements, thus giving an impression that further German withdrawals may be expected. KEY RAILWAY CUT KHARKOV ISOLATED FROM DONETZ. ANOTHER IMPORTANT AXIS BASE SHARES SAME FATE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 1.0 p.m.) RUGBY, February 11. A S.S. special Soviet communique announces the capture of Lozovaya, a very important Ukraine railway junction 60 miles south of Kharkov. By its capture the last railway south of Kharkov is cut and Kharkov is thus isolated from the Donetz front. The capture of Lozovava also cuts off the important German base of Poltava from the Donetz front. The line south from Lozovava passes through Zaporozhe, where the great Dnieper Dam was blown up by the Russians when they retreated, and thence to the Crimea.