Russians Battering Their Way Westwards

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 205, 30 August 1943, Page 5

Russians Battering Their Way Westwards

Steady Onward Sweep of Great Armies

Desperate But Fruitless German Attempts to

Stem the Tide

United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.

Received Sunday, 11.10 p.m. LONDON, August 29. The Russians ars now reaping the fruits of the titanic tank engagements north and northwest of Kharkov, state Moscow dispatches. These battles were joined when the Germans threw in tank divisions in efforts to check the Russian threat to the main lateral railway from Bryansk to Konotop and Kiev —the last link along which the enemy can transfer reinforcements from sector to sector on the middle Ukraine front.

The British United Press’s Moscow correspondent says after a battle lasting some days Russian tanks have smashed the elaborate system of German fortifications between the Vorksla and Psio! rivers to the northwest and the Red Army over a fifty-mile front is advancing at the rate of nine miles daily. Having penetrated the dense woodland marshes it is now thrusting forward over the open plains and has reached a point twenty miles from the lateral railway. The Russians are still progressing although more slowly against furious counter-attacks. The Russian plans between Bryansk and Poltava are becoming plainer. The intention is a giant pincer movement taking in the strategically vital junction of Konotop.

The German counter-attacks south of Kharkov are stronger and more frequent and the enemy is making an effort to delay the Russians who are moving southward from linking up with the Red Army advancing west of Isyum in the direction of the important Losovaya rail junction. Reuter's Moscow correspondent reports that the Russians hammering through the German defence lines nearly 100 miles west of Kharkov in a pincer movement are threatening Poltava and Krasncgrad and are only 50 to 80 miles from the Dnieper. The Germans are throwing in cooks and carpenters among the reserves in an attempt to stem the Red Army’s advance, says the Moscow radio. Prisoners taken at Akhtyra proved that the reserves used in that area were “total mobilisation” troops.

According to the Red Star the Germans are using the new 45-tcn Panther tanks on a mass scale. Armed with a newlydesigned 75-millimetre gun they embody features copied from the Soviet tanks. The Panthers like the Tigers are able to move under water. They possess vulnerable points which the Russians quick l v discovered and these novelties an being destroyed in doze..s.

Russian air communique states: “Soviet planes on Friday niguw raided the rail junctions at Poltava, Roslovi and Volnovakka (thirty miles south of Stalino on the railway to Mariupol). Several enemy trains carrying troops and war materials were directly hit. As a result of the explosions fires were started enveloping a large number of trains, Enemy aerodromes were also attacked and explosions were observed among concentrations of planes cn the ground. Two of our planes are missing. ’ ’

(,n iridajr nigut faoviet aircraft attacked tlie railway junction at Poltava, Volovakha and Roslavl, according to the Moscow radio. Direct hits were scored on several military trains. Fires broke out, the flames spreading to many trains. On the same night Soviet aircraft attached a number of enemy aerodromes. Numerous fires were started followed by powerful explosions. Two Soviet planes failed to return.

troops in boats a^tena v _a to occupy an island on the lake defended by three Red Army men wno opened fire, sank three boats and killed tv/enty Germans. The remainder retreated. In the Barents Sea the Soviet Air Force san': an enemy transport of 6000 tons and severely damaged another transport. Eighteen enemy planes were shot down in aerial engagements.”

A supplemental/ beviet communique Bays: “West of Kharkov one Bed. Army formation wiped out 600 Hitlerites. At Zenkov Soviet troops repelled several fierce counter-attacks and developing their offensive occupied important positions, 800 Hitlerites being killed. South of Kharkov Soviet troops pushed the Germans back after strenuous fighting in which the Germans lost 1000 killed. Southwest of Voroshilovgrad one Red Army formation repelled several coun-ter-attacks and killed over 300 of the enemy. “On the Karelian front 50 enemy

The Russians on Friday night announced the capture of Sievsk, 75 miles south of Bryansk. They have thus broken new ground on the Bryansk front. Extending the offensive further down the’ front they have forced the enemy out of more than 20 places, including Sievsk, which lies at the extreme tip of the Russian original Kars’: salient. The Russians captured Sievsk in March this year at the end of their winter campaign, and had to abandon it shortly afterwards when the Germans launched their counter-offensive. It is important because of its relation t*' J trunk line linking Bryansk with Kiev on the Dnieper.