STIFF FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 February 1943, Page 3

STIFF FIGHTING

GERMAN COUNTER=ATTACKS ; IN RUSSIA ATTEMPTS TO STEM SOVIET OFFENSIVE. LARGE RESERVES THROWN IN. LONDON, February 23. The main news from Russia is again of extremely heavy German counterattacks. Moscow reports that the enemy has flung in another 22 divisions in an attempt to hold up the Russian offensive. Enemy resistance has stiffened all along the 400 mile front from Orel to the Kuban. This stiffer resistance is chiefly noticeable round' Orel and in the Donetz Basin. The Germans, are making desperate attempts to hold on to Orel, the only bastion of the winter defence line that has not yet passed into Russian hands. Today, wave after wave of enemy reserves were thrown into the defence of this great base. After a stiff fight, the Russians went further ahead and are now reported to be only 20 miles away from the town. In the Donetz Basin area the Germans have flung in great masses of men and tanks into the critical sector in the south. Although the enemy has been unable to gain any ground he has so far prevented the Russians from narrowing the escape gap out of the Donetz Basin. In the western tip of the Kuban the Germans are fighting fiercely to retain their bridgehead while the remnants of their Caucasian army escape. The Russians have driven on to within 20 miles of Novorossisk, the last German stronghold in the Kuban.