KHARKOV DRIVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24303, 18 June 1942, Page 3

KHARKOV DRIVE

DEFENCES HOLDING LITTLE GERMAN PROGRESS (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, June 17 The German offensive on the Kharkov front is described as a mincer for the German reserves. The Germans have been reinforced by armoured divisions, but the Russian defences have not been breached and enemy casualties are enormous. In a counter-attack, the Russians broke the enemy's resistance on some points, and occupied more favourable positions.

The Germans are said to be making little progress, in spite of furious attacks with great numbers of tanks. Reserves Thrown In Fighting continues day and night on the Kharkov front, says a Moscow message. The Germans have thrown in large reserves, but have failed to regain the positions they lost to Marshal Timoshenko. The Germans have also failed, after a fierce four-day battle, to seize the hills covering the approaches to the Donetz River, the crossing of which is of vital importance for the development of their offensive. They are now on the defensive. The Germans stated that the Russian party which crossed the Donetz River had been encircled.

Soviet Tanks Prove Superior German official accounts report that the Kharkov campaign has been "successfully completed," says the British official wireless. It is not known, however, where the Germans reached the Donetz River, and, apparently, the main Russian positions around Kharkov and the Upper Donetz have not been seriously affected by recent operations. On the Briansk, Central, Volkhov and Leningrad fronts, more sporadic flare-ups have occurred. Both sides are claiming local successes. On the NorthWest front violent local clashes have cost the Germans about 5000 killed on one wing of the front alone. A confident note can be observed in front-line despatches received from Moscow in London. One report states that a German division on Monday advanced half a kilometer on an unspecified sector, but was hurled back by the Russians, who apparently received large tank rein f orcein en ts. Soviet tanks are proving superior in quality, and the heavy Russian tanks are said to be especially good. Further, the Russians' anti-tank rifles are proving very efficient, and in one attack 22 German tanks were destroyed by riflefire alone.