Critical Izyum Sector

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 65, 18 March 1943, Page 5

Critical Izyum Sector

M LONDON, March 17

By mass attacks with tanks, infantry, and aircraft the Germans are making* powerful and repeated attempts to cross the Donets River at various points south of Kharkov, but all indications are that so far the Russians are holding strongly to their positions and refusing to give ground.

The most critical sector appears to be in the deep bend oi: the river near Izyum, where the Germans seem to be getting a rough handling. In spite of attacks with superior forces, the Russians have not only held their ground but have recaptured the dominating height at the base of the bend.

©ther fierce battles are going on at points south-east of Kharkov, hut the Russians are giving a very good account of themselves and at some places still hold the initiative.

A correspondent says that the Germans are massing their tanks into groups, sometimes 60 at a time, and making three or four attacks in a day. They continually probe the Russian positions in attempts to find weak spots, and switch their tanks * rapidly from one sector to another. Sometimes tanks are moved 60 miles in a day and then brought back to attempt a surprise at the original spot. The Russians are 'meeting these tactics with mobile anti-tank units, and the correspondent says that these-methods are easier at the moment because the ground has once again frozen over. Further north the Russians are fighting equally successful defensive actions north-west of Kursk. !

On the central front the Russians are beating back numerous German coun-ter-attacks on forest roads and crossings. The three Soviet columns moving in the direction of Smolensk from the east and north-east have made further progress. In the north-east Ihe Russians have how reached, the branch railway which runs up to Nikitinka.