HOUNDING NAZIS FROM UKRAINE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24142, 8 December 1941, Page 8

HOUNDING NAZIS FROM UKRAINE

______ MOSCOW COUNTER-ATTACKS *. ' I GRAVE POSITION TO SOUTH OF CITY

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received December 6, 9.80 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 0 Reports from Russia say Marshal Timoshenko is hounding the Germans from thousands of square miles of Ukraine territory and threatening to encircle large German and Italian armies. In order to save his shattered forces in the retreat from Rostov von Kleist is depending upon powerful artillery barrages between the German rearguard and the Russian vanguard. Marshal Timoshenko is launching shock troops in a further offensive against Kharkov ancl is also fighting a tank battle along the Kalmius River. Von Kleist's panzer units, reinforced by German divisions from the Crimea, have turned at bay on the line of the Kalmius River and are being attacked by the armies of General Kharitonev and General Remizov.

Marshal Timoshenko's flanking forces, mostly tank and cavalry divisions, are meanwhile sweeping down south-westward of Stalino on a direct line to Mariupol. Unless von Rundstedt checks this thrust the whole of the German defence lines on the Kalmius River can be outflanked, and all the German armies between Mariupol and Taganrog risk encirclement. Fierce Fighting West of Moscow

The Russians have broken the strong German defences near Taganrog and are at present developing this success. Desperate German counter-attacks supported by tanks and aircraft failed to check the Russians. Cavalry and Cossack regiments of the Russian 56th Army have cut off the remnants of the German forces fleeing from Rostov, The Russian air force is attacking the over-crowded roads leading west from Taganrog and heavy losses are being inflicted.

Shock troops are launching Marshal Timoshenko's secondary offensive against Kharkov, to the north of Mariupol. Russian bombers pounded the German trenches and supply lines for 24 hours before the attack.

Russian counter-attacks have improved the situation in the northern sectors of the Moscow front, but particularly fierce fighting is in progress among the villages in the Mojaisk area, west of Moscow. In the Tula area to the south the enemy by greater weight of tanks has cut through to the Tula highway. The Russians are still hard pressed and the situation remains dangerous and almost critical. An 1 1 days" offensive has brought the enemy within 36 miles of the city. They are making every effort to get closer in order to shell the city itself. The situation is especially grave east of Tula where fighting is raging in the direction of Stalinogorsk and Ryazan.

A significant development is taking place in the northern corner of the south-west front where the Russians are fiercely counter-attacking. Apparently the Russian drive aims to cut off the Germans striking east of Tula which if successful would be a brilliant feat. Many Villages Abandoned The Moscow radio stated that Germans are retreating in parts of the Klin-Volokalamsk sectors north-west of Moscow. After forcing back the Russians' at Klin and capturing some positions the Germans met fierce counter-attacks and were compelled to turn back, the enemy recoiling westward and abandoning village after village. The Germans lost over 10,000 killed and wounded in seven days* continuous fighting in one area in the Volokalamsk sector.

However the situation at Mojaisk and Maloyaroslavets is more critical for the Russians. A communique from Berlin states that the Geripans have captured Mojaisk. Pravda, however, states: ' We repulsed several German attacks in the Mojaisk direction and annihilated one enemy infantry battalion." Latest reports claim that the Germans are fallirfg back.

The Germans lost 53 tanks and 65 guns and were beaten back at Naryfominsk after temporarily breaking the Russian defences. A Russian radio reporter described the action as a possible turning point in the battle for the capital. He said that the Germans had flung in huge forces. The battle raged for four days, but the Germans began a retreat which turned into a veritable rout.