ON APPROACHES TO SMOLENSK AND IN UKRAINE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 March 1943, Page 3

ON APPROACHES TO SMOLENSK AND IN UKRAINE

Some Important Gams Made by Russians INCREASED RESISTANCE TO GERMANS IN DONETZ AREA FIGHTING RESUMED IN KUBAN TERRITORY % LONDON, March 22. The latest news from Russia is of battles on five fronts. The fiercest fighting is on the central front, west of Moscow, and in the Ukraine. . On the northern front Marshal Timoshenko’s drive south of Lake Ilmen is going well. The Germans are being forced back in several places towards Staraya Russa. Russian forces are still strongly on the offensive on the central front. Two Soviet columns are moving towards Smolensk, Hitler’s main Russian supply base. With Dorogolruzh, 60 miles to the east, in their hands, the Russians are in control of half of the railway running to Smolensk from Viazma. On the Briansk front, Moscow reports repeated new German attacks. Fierce fighting is going on about 40 miles northeast of Briansk. Large German mechanised forces, supported by many aircraft, are trying to punch a hole in the Russian line, but so far their efforts have been without success. The Germans are still throwing in reinforcements on the Donetz front, where Soviet resistance is reported to be stiffening. The Russians are finding their cavalry particularly useful in meeting the German attacks. In the Caucasus, with the approach of better weather, fighting has flared up again in the Kuban territory. The Red Army has renewed its effort to drive the Germans back to the Crimea. One strong German defence chain of 15 fortified villages has been smashed.