HEAVY AXIS PRESSURE

Southland Times, Issue 25703, 12 July 1943, Page 5

HEAVY AXIS PRESSURE

WEDGES DRIVEN IN RUSSIAN LINES (United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. 9.40 p.m.) LONDON, July 11. Latest front-line reports show that there is a considerable increase in pressure through the two wedges driven into the Russian lines south and south-east of Kursk, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. Very heavy fighting is going on around the township, which has already changed hands three or four times. The Moscow correspondent of The Sunday «Times says the Russians are in a difficult position in the Byelgorod area, south of the Kursk salient. Penetrations of two tank wedges are some miles deep and the Russian defence lines have broken up. It is freely admitted in Moscow that the situation at Byelgorod is less favourable than at any time since the opening of the German offensive last Monday. Red Star, the Russian Army newspaper, says there are cases where individual Russian units have been forced to retire to new positions, but the Russians subsequently brought in reserves and by determined counter-attacks forced the enemy back to his initial position. A Moscow communique says: “The Russians yesterday on the Orel, Kursk and Byelgorod fronts repulsed many attacks from large enemy forces. The Red Army in the Orel-Kursk sector held the enemy attack. .Hie Germans in one sector attacked at several points simultaneously. Our units repelled 10 attacks, held on to their positions, killed about 1500 of the enemy and destroyed 40 tanks. The Russians in the Byelgorod sector engaged in stubborn battles. The Germans brought up fresh reserves and attempted to develop an offensive in the sector where their tanks had previously driven a wedge. The Russians held and immobilized the enemy, inflicting enormous losses.