LULL ON DONETZ

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24541, 25 March 1943, Page 3

LULL ON DONETZ

ENEMY THROWN liACK ABORTIVE RIVER CROSSING LONDON, March 24 In the course of the fighting on the Upper Donetz some German forces battled their way across the river at a point east of Bielgorod, but they had no chance to consolidate before a Russian counterattack drove them back to the western bank. Following tho development of the dangerous German menace on the Middle Donetz, the Red Army appears at least for the time to have stemmed the German drives eastward, although the Germans claim that they have halted for regrouping and because of bad weather. The Stockholm correspondent of the Times, in stating that the battle for the Donetz crossings has abated in intensity, says the Germans have not attained their full objectives at Cliuguicv and Isyum, where the Russians are defying the most determined efforts to throw them across tho river. The present lull is more beneficial to the Russians, who arc bringing up reinforcements which the Germans claim they are hampering from the air as far to the rear as Millerovo.

The German news agency states that the gains in tho new German offensive north-west and west-south-west of Kursk are so important that they are likely substantially to increase the possibility of a new German drive toward Voronezh. Renter's Moscow correspondent emphasises that it is too early to suggest that the German counter-offensive has expended itself. Ho says the Germans are putting pressuie against the whole Russian line from Orel to Rostov, but undoubtedly, after the initial retreat to the Donetz, tho Russians rallied strongly to beat off tho German onslaught. In the Northern Caucasus tho Russians have further narrowed the German bridgehead opposite the Crimea. They have taken several more places, including a rail town 40 miles northeast of German-occupied Novorossisk. RESOURCES STRAINED ENEMY FEELS EFFECTS LONDON, March '23 Observers in London are certain that tho Russian successes in recent months have heavily strained the enemy resources of men and materials. This is a great gain not only for the Russians, but also for the British and American armies preparing to attack in the West. How much this potential advantage can be realised depends on the issue of the battle between Kursk and tho Donetz Basin. The Germans hope to push on and dislocate the Soviet strategy before the summer. The Russians, on the other hand, report that vast. new reserves are being trained in back areas, but they have no intention of using them until the proper time. Tho present struggle along the Donetz makes this dangerous moment one of great consequence for the United Nations, but it is already evident that tho Soviet command has handled an unexpected and difficult situation with great skill, and so far has withstood all the German, attempts to establish bridgeheads across the river. Tho magnitude of tho issues at stake on the Russian front is directly related to the German manpower situation. According to trustworthy reports, the German military and civil authorities are said to bo fully agreed that tho eastern front must be drastically shortened to enable the army to resist successfully on all fronts. NEW VICE-COMMISSAR LONDON, March '2: l A famous Ukrainian playwright. Alexander Korneichuk, has been appointed Russian Vice-Commissar of Foreign Affairs, .states a Moscow message. M. Korneichuk is the author of "Front." the most discussed Russian play of last year, for which he received the Stalin Prize.