BUT RUSSIANS STILL MAKING PROGRESS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 February 1943, Page 3

BUT RUSSIANS STILL MAKING PROGRESS

Stubborn Fighting Near Orel SOVIET FORCES CLOSING IN FROM THREE SIDES FIERCE CLASH IN DONETZ BASIN AREA LONDON, February 22. The chief feature of today’s fighting in Russia is the increased German resistance along many parts of the front between Orel and the Kuban. The Russians continue to make steady progress in most sectors. The most stubborn fighting of the day was that between Kursk and Orel. Mr Paul Winterton, the London “News Chronicle’s’’ Moscow representative, says the Germans are fighting very hard in this area, counter-attacking repeatedly with fresh reserves but they are slowly being forced back. In the past 12 hours the Russians have made further progress. They broke through to the German rear south of Orel and got astride the main road, thereby cutting off another supply route to the town. They are now converging on Orel from three sides. At one point they are little more than 20 miles from it. z In the Western Donetz Basin, German counter-attacks have met with more success. For several days the enemy has fiercely resisted a Russian attempt to cut off the Axis forces still left. in the basin. Today, the Germans succeeded in driving a wedge 1 into the Russian positions. Although the Russians straightened it out, they have been unable to penetrate the enemy defences.