DRIVE ON KHARKOV

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 August 1943, Page 4

DRIVE ON KHARKOV

RUSSIANS CUTTING DEEP INTO GERMAN DEFENCES APPLICATION OF INCREASING PRESSURE. STEADY BUT SLOWER PROGRESS TOWARDS BRYANSK. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) ’ (Received This Day, 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, August 12. For the sixth day, the main German hews sources have been reiterating that the Russians are now exerting pressure over 300 miles of Russian frcnt, from the Viazma area to Kharkov. Enemy sources also re-emphasise that the strongest Red Army attacks are being made south and south-west of Viazma. The British United Press Moscow correspondent, however, declares that the main weight of the Russian attacks is still north and north-west of Kharkov, whence one Russian force is driving direct for Kharkov and the other, farther westward, deeper into the Ukraine towards the vital Poltava-Kiev Railway. The correspondent adds that the Russians are winning battles around Kharkov with tank and gun tactics. The Russian heavy artillery keeps the Germans tied down, while tanks sweep around and cut off the enemy from his rear'lines. The rest is then left to the infantry. The “Izvestia” war correspondent writes: “As columns of Russian tanks and infantry stream towards Kharkov, columns of prisoners stream in the reverse direction. One party of 27 I met was all that remained of a full company.” The Russians are unable to sweep along at comparable speed in their other main offensive, from Orel to Bryansk. The Germans are fighting desperately to check the Russian progress. German armoured trains are driving up and down the Orel-Bryansk Railway, firing against the Russian positions on either side of the line. The Russians are now meeting the outer belt of defences which the Germans built around Bryansk. Dense trackless forests and big swamps make the advance more difficult.

A war correspondent, describing the capture of Khotynets, said the German defences included two armoured trains and large forces of tanks and infantry. Russian shell fire put out of action the railway defenders. Tanks made a frontal attack, while the infantry, outflanked the Germans, first from the north and then from the south. Khotynets was cleared of the enemy after several hours of street fighting. The Berlin radio’s commentator, Captain Sertorius, declared: “The Russians’ pressure in the past 24 hours has increased. There is no doubt the Russian Command is still aiming with all its might at a break through, but it has not yet attained it.”

NEW “STALINGRAD”

IN PROSPECT AT KHARKOV.

ONE ESCAPE RAILWAY LEFT TO ENEMY.

(Received This Day. Noon.) LONDON, August 12

By cutting the railway from Kharkov to Poltava at three points yesterday and making further gains today, the Russians have narrowed the last gap through which the Germans can escape from Kharkov to 30 miles. The British United Press Moscow correspondent says that the prospect of a new “Stalingrad” at Kharkov is becoming more probable as the Germans’ railway exits from the city are cut off. The only rail route left for ther retreat is that to Dnepropetrovsk, which the Red Air Force is now incessantly bombing. There is no indication yet, adds the correspondent, that the Germans intend to abandon Kharkov, although their chances of being able to do so lessen hourly. The Germans are actually throwing in fresh reserves in order to stem the Russian attacks. The Germans yesterday, in one sector alone, counterattacked 15 times before they were forced to retreat.

Tonight’s Soviet communique states that the Russians on the Bryansk front advanced between six and seven miles and captured over 100 inhabited localities, including Dmitrovsk, 60 miles south-east of Bryansk. The Russians on the Kharkov front occupied 20 inhabited places, including Chuguyev, an important town 25 miles south-east of Kharkov. The Russians also occupied a place five miles north-east of Kharkov and on the Bryansk front they reached a point twelve miles east of Karachev.