ROUND KURSK

Grey River Argus, 25 March 1943, Page 5

ROUND KURSK

GERMAN PRESSURE MOVES FROM SOUTH I ■ ■ Russians Central Progress LONDON, March 2a. There are signs that the Lerma ns in Russia have swung their main attack from south-east of Kharkov to north-east of the city, where the upper reaches of the Donetz River are narrower than below Kharkov.

Tc-day’s Russian communique does not mention Chuguyev, where the fighting has been extremely, violent for the las't 10 days, but the area round Byelgorod, now in German hands, is described as the scene ol: fierce fighting against German tanks and infantry. The Germans’ aim in this area may be to establish themselves on the eastern bank of the river before the thaw finally bogs them down. There is nothing to suggest that the Germans have broken the main Russian positions at. any/ point. The Russians massed extremely powerful forces on a huge ace before Smolensk from Orel to Velikve Luki. The Germans are making an effort to outflank this arc in the neighbourhood of Kursk, where the German News Agency claims further progress against'increasing resistance. The Agency stated that gains in the new German offensive north-west, west, and south-west of Kursk were so important they were likely substantially to increase the' possibility of a new German drive towards Voronegh.

With the thaw becoming general along the whole front from Kuban to Lake Ilmen, operations on the Russian front are generally slowing up, even on the bitterly-contested Donetz line, though the Russians continue to report progress in the centre, notably south of ByeToi. GERMANS STILL HELD SOUTH OF KHARKOV. LONDON, March 23. Violent fighting continues on most sectors of the 2000-miles Russian front. The Red Army, after the develonment of the dangerous German menace in the middle Donetz appeared to have stemmed, at least tor a time, the German drives eastward, although the Germans claim that the'yt. have halted* for re-grouping and also because of the bad weather, rhe Germans, being heavily battered by the Russians on the lower Donetz are now attacking in the upper reaches of the river, where it is narrower. Reuter’s Moscow, correspondent says: It is too early to suggest the German counter-offensive has expended itself. The Germans are exerting pressure against the whole Russian line from Orel to Rostov, but, undoubtedly, after the initial retreat on the Donetz the Russians rallied strongly and beat off the German onslaught.' , Declaring the battle for the Donetz crossings ha's abated in intensity, “The Times” Stockholm correspondent says: The Germans have not attained their full objectives, Chuguyev and- Izyum, where the Russians are defying the most determined efforts to throw them across the river. They retain bridgeheads on the west bank. They were less successful at Byelgorod, but the- Germans have not crossed the Donetz, although they hold a stretch of the west bank. The present lull is more beneficial to the Russians, who are bringing up reinforcements, which the Germans claim they are hampering from 'the air as far in the rear as Millerovo. Germany is now in a pos’tion to bring back to the west an appreciable part of her armies, says the Paris radio. German soldiers who wintered in the east, are alr'eady seen in the streets of Paris. The bulk of the German armies in the last two years was massed on the eastern front. Until now, a light covering protected west Europe. During this time the AngloAmericans were incapable of attacking the Germans and ft is hardly considered they are in a more favourable position now. London observers are certain that i Russian successes of recent months heavily strained ' the enemy resources in men and materials. This is a great gam not only for the_Kussians, but also for the British andAmerican armies, preparing to attack in the west. How much this potential advantage can be realised depends on the issue of the great V.attle raging between Kursk and the Donetz Basin. The Germans hope to push on and dislocate the Soviet strategybefore summer. The Russians, on the other hand, report that vast new reserves are being trained in the back areas, but the High Command has no intention of using them, until the proper time. The present struggle along the Donetz makes this dangerout moment of great consequence for I the Un’ted Nations, but it is already evident that the Soviet Command has handled an unexpected difficult situaI tion with great skill, and so far has I withstood all German attempts to | establish bridgeheads across the river. The magnitude of the issue at stake on the Russ’an front is directly related to the German manpower situation. According to trustworthy reports, the German military and civil authorities are said to be ftflly agreed that the eastern front must be drastically shortened to enable the army to resist successfully on all fronts.

Central Front LONDON, March 23. On the central front the Russians are still pressing on towards »n*olensk In their advance along the ra iway from Viazma. they are now onlvi 20 miles from Yartsevo, the mam eastern outpost of Smolensk. At. the same time Russians l°tn e ; s moving down from Byeloi are keeping pace with their comrades further soutn and have captured several moi e pl The Germans have so tar. been unable' to bring to a standstill the Russian drive towards Smolensk. What may be a significant pvent was the failure of a large-scale German attempt to hold up a Russian advance at Shisdra by outflanking column thrusting towards Smolensk, from the south-east, Moscow correspondents descr.bmg a three-day battle, say tne German tanks at dawn on March 18. after a short barrage, attacked Russian?. R&d Army artillery’, opening up with customary, deadly efficiency, drove bapK the enemy who almost immediately re-attacked', continuing thrusts throughout the day, despite exceptionally heavy losses. By night tne German 11 th Motorised Infantry Regiment had almost ceased to exist. After the first repulse, the Germans agiain attacked on March 20 from a different direction throwing in an infantry regiment and 48 tanks supported by strong artillery, but they were again defeated. The Germans brought up two more motorised divisions and! many; dive-bombers on March 21, under the impression that the Russians were tired out but before the assault developed the Russians attacked and routed the Germans. The Russians are advancing on the heels of the remnants of the routed divisions. More than five thousand dead Germans were left on the field. .According to Reuter’s Moscow cor-

respondent the Russians are beginning t 0 close in on Yartsevo. One Russian army, advancing towards Yartsevo from the north-west, captured 40 inhabited places in the last 24 hours. Advanced forces of the Russian Army pushing on from Durovo, are within 20 miles of Yartsevo, which is the key to Smolensk. The Dorogobi area, whicT! the RusI sians are now threatening from two sides, and also a large part of the area between Durovo and Smolensk, is shrouded in dense smoke, .as the retreating Germans fire villages and town. There is not much left to burn at Dorogobi, which is already practically a shambles, the result of arson and pillage. NORTH SECTORS. LONDON. March 23. The Lake Ilmen sector is quieter, but along the Volkhov River and towards Leningrad the Russians continue the activity which started last week. Aircraft of both sides are very busy, and there have been many spectacular air combats. GERMAN LOSSES. (Rec. 10.40.) LONDON, March 23. The Soviet Information Bureau states: During twenty months of war the Germans on the Soviet front Jost in killed on the battlefield not fewer than four million men.