SEBASTOPOL HOLDS ON

Southland Times, Issue 24773, 18 June 1942, Page 5

SEBASTOPOL HOLDS ON

FIERCE BATTLES (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, June 16. The Sebastopol defences are still intact, except for a small sector near the Belbek river mouth, at the northern seaward end of the Russian-held arc, where fighting has been fierce during the past two days. Enemy pressure is increasing generally, with the result that the tension and strain imposed on the garrison surpasses anything the Russians have experienced since the Smolensk battles last year. The German dent from the direction of Belbek southwards along the Eupatoria-Sebastopol road has apparently been forced to within five miles of Sebastopol’s heart. The Germans admit fierce counterattacks, also shelling by Russian warships at the forces in the region of Eupatoria. The German offensive on the Kharkov front is described as a “meat mincer” for the German reserves. The Germans have been reinforced by armoured divisions, but the Russians’ defences have not been breached and the enemy casualties are enormous. Coun-ter-attacking, the Russians broke the enemy resistance at some points and occupied more favourable positions. _ The Germans admitted a Russian night landing attempt on the Kerch peninsula on Monday, claiming that the batteries had turned back five boats and sunk a sixth. They also stated that a Russian party which crossed the Donetz-Kharkov region had been encircled. On the Bryansk, Central, Volkhov and Leningrad fronts • there have been more sporadic flare-ups, both sides claiming local successes;