KHARKOV BATTLE

Grey River Argus, 23 May 1942, Page 5

KHARKOV BATTLE

NOW MORE INTENSE

Germans Still Giving Ground

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable A;sn.)

(,Ree. 12.40) LONDON, May 22. A message from Kuibyshev claims that German tank losses in the Kharkov battle so far exceed six hundred. It adds that fighting is growing in extent and in intensity with German forces generallv retreating. LONDON, May 21.

A Soviet communique on Thursday at midday stated that offensive opperations in the direction of Kharkov continued during Wednesday. An earlier communique stated: On Wednesday our troops waged offensive operations on the Kharkov front, repelling enemy counter-attacks and advanced. On the Izyum-Barven-kova front our troops are repelling enemy attacks. Moscow “Red Star” stated, that a 'dispatch from the Front on Wednesday afternoon said Russian troops broke up a fierce new enemy tank attack, which resulted in the routing of panzer divisions which attempted to breach the Russian lines. Soviet infantry stood firm under attack. Fierce anti-tank fire and a counter-attack by Russian tanks resulted in the enemy being driven back with the loss of 70 tanks. On Thursday morning a despatch to Moscow from the front line on Kharkov frtont described Russian forces as still pressing forward in spite of masses of heavy armoured vehicles the Germans are throwing into* the 'battle; Germans, disregarding enormous losses, are unsuccessfully counter-attacking in the attempt to hold up the Runssian offensive. The Russians killed over seven hundred in one sector alone. Russian forces at some points penetrated Kharkov defences to a depth of 40 miles.

(Moscow “Pravda,” correspondent stated : Fields round Kharkov are a blazing inferno, with crippled Nazi tanks staggering blindly out of battle, and- panzer divisions locked so inextricably, with Russian tanks that the planes of either side can no longer bomb, or distinguish friend from foe. Mr. Paul Winterburton: 8.8. C. observer at Moscow stated: “In spite of all the Germans can do there is no question that the Soviet offensive is proceeding successfully.

There is no Russian confirmation of a Berlin radio report of repeated Russian attacks in the Taganrog sector, on the shore of the Sea of Azov.

A Russian report stated: “In the Barents Sea, north of Russia, three enemy transports, totalling 26,000 tons, have been sunk. On Tuesday 27 German aeroplanes were destroyed. Our losses were 12 aeroplanes.

Germans Forestalled

BY FOUR DAYS

(Rec. 5.5) LONDON, May 21. Reports from all sources, including Berlin, tend to confirm the view that Russian weight is telling in the battle of Kharkov. The Moscow correspondent of the “Daily Express” says: The battle of Kharkov is like a great Catherine Wheel of death roaring round the Ukraine. The blue sky is blackened with a pall of smoke rising from villages set on' fire by German forces when retreating westward. Just a year ago, this was the richest land in the whole Soviet territory. To-day nothing lives in it without armour, and no man without a gun has a chance of living. Th'ank God, the Russians struck first. The Red Army has had a four-day stark With thjjs Hitler will never be able to catch up. It was not until four days after Marshal Timoshenko struck that General von Bock was able to collect himself and then begin any real coun-ter-blows. Now the battle had reached a wicked pace. The Red Army has taken its slogan from a great .Russian military strategist of the past, General Suvrov, who declared for speed and thrust. Marshal Timoshenko gives that order to-day. The Paris radio says: Russians, for the first time, are using seventyton tanks on the Kharkov front. “The Times” Stockholm correspondent says: “A most dangerous time for the Russians was on Monday last, when General von Bock unleashed an armoured counter-at-tack from the Donetz Basin against Marshal Timoshenko’s left flank.. It. is now clear that .Marshal Timoshenko expected this attack, and that shock absorbers which he arrayed in the Isyum area have proved most effective. The first German tank wedge encountered camouflaged pits and massed artillery, and reeled back with its strength hawed. Russian tanks then went into action. Subsequent German armoured thrusts were beaten back.

Russian Penetration

MOSCOW REPORTS.

LONDON, May 21.

The Red Army paper, the Moscow “Red Star” says: Russian forces penetrated the main defences of Kharkov. Fighting is now raging in lightly-fortified towns and villages of the rolling Ukraine countryside. In several of the sectors Ox the main defence zone, German forces are clinging to fortified centres. But these hedgehogs are being encircled and being mopped up. The Germans have thrown in all Spring offensive concentrations in their attempt to stem the Red Army s advance, because of losses the eneni* abandoned mass tank assaults. Ac has resorted to the use of infantry, who are being supported by sma.l tank forces and aircraft forces. The Moscow radio says. A sw.a thrust from Lozovaya placed Mm - shal Timoshenko astride of the ra 1way between Kharkov and the Cat. casus and the Crimea. riA The Soviet “War News says. lhtanks remain the most weapon of the German Army That i<s whv their performance at Knar kov has been so edifying. The Nazis are desperately For^e vage tanks, but the Red Air attends to them.

Kerch Campaign ENEMY 'CLAIM’S YENIKAL

LONDON, May 21. A Russian report sthted that in tn£ eastern part of the Kerch (Peninsula in Eastern Crimea, fighting was at itS The § Berlin radio claims that the Germans captured Yenika.l Fortress, wherewith the Russians had covered their evacuation. CENTRE AND NORTH FRONTS LONDON, May 21. A Moscow report stated: Russians in one sector of the Leningrad front cut a road between two German strong points of resistance, and an enemy counter-attack cost six hundred troops. Russian artillery on the north-