RUSSIAN GAINS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1942, Page 5

RUSSIAN GAINS

NAZI LINE PIERCED Baltic Fleet's Strong Aid To Red Army U.P.A. and British Wireless. Rec. 1.30 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 23. Berlin reports admit that the German line has been pierced at several points on the southern front after violent Russian attacks. The Moscow radio says 15 places have been recaptured in one day on the southern front. German counter-attacks in the south-west were repulsed, after which the Russians pushed on and recaptured eight more places. The Russians on one sector of the Ukraine front ceased fighting in celebration of Red Army Day. On another sector of the same front, however, cavalry have freed four inhabited points in the last 24 hours and wiped out a squadron of German cavalry. Counter-attacking in a village on the central front the Germans continually threw in new troops, but all the attacks were repulsed and the Germans left 400 dead at the approaches to the village.

The Baltic Fleet defending Leningrad has destroyed 1000 fortified points and overwhelmed 500 enemy artillery batteries.

The Russian advance continues on the central part of the front, as well as in the south, where fresh progress was reported last night. The morning report announces the occupation of an important place In the Kalinin sector and an advance in another sector in the centre.

Since the war began 110 soldiers, sailors and airmen have been awarded the supreme honour of the Soviet Union and nearly 40,000 have been awarded high battle honours.