PART OF KHARKOV IN FLAMES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 28 October 1941, Page 5

PART OF KHARKOV IN FLAMES

POSITION MORE SERIOUS EVERY DAY Claim to Capture not Confirmed OUTER DEFENCES OF MOSCOW STILL HOLD (Rec. 1 0.0 a.m.) Rugby, Oct. 27. I he latest information shows that the Russians continue to offer very fierce resistance on the whole of the central sector. They have been particularly successful in holding the thrust at Kalinin, which was specially dangerous because it could be developed in alternative directions towards the north, where it could be a threat to troops east of Leningrad, and towards the south, where it could be the start of a drive behind Moscow. There is no confirmation from Russian sources that Kharkov is in the Germans’ hands as announced by Hitler during an interview with Count Ciano (Italian Foreign Minister), obviously to impress the junior partner with the success of German arms. Fighting, how ever, must be so close to the city a Russian communique speaks of fighting in the Kharkov direction that its value as a centre for the production of Russian equipment cannot now be very great. The weather is reported to be very bad, especially in the sector west of Moscow. There does not appear to be any change at Leningrad or Perekop Isthmus. The Germans are still close to Rostov, but have not captured it. The general impression is that the Germans are making the most of the thrust in the south at Kharkov to divert attention from lack of appreciable advance towards Moscow. Earlier messages state that while there is no slackening of the great German offensive against Moscow, where, however, there is again no indication that the assaults have achieved a break-through in the outer defences, the drive against the industrial centres in the Donetz Basin is growing more menacing every day. The latest Soviet communique reports fierce fighting in the zone of Kharkov, which the Germans officially claimed on Friday to have occupied. Moscow radio yesterday spoke of fighting on Kharkov’s approaches. The Russians have conceded the fall of Stalin. The military correspondent of “The Times’’ says that Kharkov’s significance is in its industries and also the fact that it is southern Russia’s most important junction. Before the five-year plans Kharkov’s population was 400,000, and it is now over 800,000. The industries include one of the largest Russian aircraft plants, a huge tractor factory, machine-tool plants, locomotive workshops and also electro-technical works. Whole sections of Kharkov are now perishing in the flames of fires started partly by German bombs and partly by Russian incendiaries, the writer says. Vital industrial plants have been either removed to the Urals or destroyed. The German onslaught on the Moscow front has intensified, but the Russians everywhere are putting up the staunchest resistance.

The latest reports reaching Kuibyshev indicate that General Zukhov's troops are successfully withstanding heavy German attacks in the Mojaisk and Malo-Yaroslavetz zones. The renewed violent pressure in these sectors apparently began on 24th October, with the Germans employing a huge air fleet and masses of tanks supported by violent artillery and mortar fire. Despatches say that the Germans have managed to achieve slight penetration in the vicinity of the town of ”K,” but a break-through is denied. Russian units which were encircled in this region for 10 days fought their way out during 23rd and 24th October and reached their main forces in good order and with all their equipment. A dispatch to the "Red Star” admits that the Russians have abandoned two villages. Moscow radio states that the Germans suffered tremendous losses in attempts to break through on the main road to Moscow from the vicinity of Malo-Yaroslavetz. Prisoners who were taken in this sector said they had had no food for 48 hours and the troops were still not equipped with winter clothing. Fierce fighting is still raging in Kalinin, and all the efforts of the Germans to drive the Russians from the north-eastern section of the city have failed. Berlin quotes German soldiers’ references to appalling weather on the Moscow front, where transports are stuck in the mud for days, depriving whole regiments of food. Berlin admits that the Russians are exploiting the German predicament by attacking with bayonets. The offensive against the Crimea continues. The isthmus is still strongly held, and a Russian report says that a German thrust three miles into the Soviet lines was fully thrown back. RUSSIAN ARTILLERY IN ACTION A supplementary Soviet communique states: "Russian artillery operating on the Orel front inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. In one day a unit destroyed an important pontoon bridge near the village of Kusnetsov, silenced one mortar battery, and killed many enemy soldiers. One battery destroyed six tanks, shot down one dive-bomber and dispersed a battalion of infantry. Another battery destroyed three German tanks, while a third battery destroyed a one-gun battery and blew up an ammunition dump.—B.O.W. and U.P.A.