STRUCK BY THE RUSSIAN ARMIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 July 1943, Page 3

STRUCK BY THE RUSSIAN ARMIES

Gaps Tom ia Enemy Orel Defences ADVANCE OF 26 MILES IN TWO DAYS COSTLY ENEMY FAILURES CONTINUE ON KURSK FRONT LONDON, July 15. THE RUSSIAN ARMIES HAVE GONE OVER TO THE OFFENSIVE AND ALREADY HAVE TORN GREAT GAP'S IN THE ENEMY’S DEFENCES NEAR OREL. ' The Russians struck into the German positions from two directions, towards Orel from the north and the east. 'North of Orel they have penetrated the strongly fortified defence lines on a 25-mile front and in two days have advanced 26 miles. Many fortifications and strongpoints have been smashed and more than 50 places have been occupied. East of Orel, the Russians have breached the enemy defence lines on a stretch of 20 miles and have advanced between 12 and 15 miles. They have reoccupied 60 places. The Russians, in three days’ fighting, have killed. 12,000 enemy troops and taken more than 2000 prisoners, destroyed more than 100 tanks and nearly 300 planes. A large amount of valuable booty has fallen into Russian hands. Three German infantry divisions and two panzer divisions have been routed and three infantry and two motorised divisions badly mauled. On the Russian salient at Kursk, the Soviet forces have successfully held the German attacks for ten days. It is estimated that the Germans have lost 60,000 men there. The Germans themselves have been reporting Russian attacks in the direction of Orel. A Berlin spokesman said that in the last two days the Soviet- attacks north-west of Orel had reached such an intensity that they must be described as a regular offensive. He admitted that the Russians broke through the German positions at some points, but claimed that the penetrations had been sealed off and that a German counterattack was progressing. Moscow states that the offensive continues.