Critical battles still being f ought for crossings on Kharkov sector.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 March 1943, Page 3

Critical battles still being f ought for crossings on Kharkov sector.

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.

Rec.11.30 p.m. London, March 21. XHE position near Chuguyev is now more critical for the Russians, who admit a local setback in the great battle for the Donetz crossings. At one point they have been pushed back, but only after taking heavy toll of the enemy. The Germans launched a determined attack on all the southem sectors of the front and then succeeded in pushing forward at Chuguyev. The break-through is far from being a major one, however. The Russians have advanced six miles west of Izdeshkovo along the Vyazma-Smolensk railway and i*eached the uppei Dnieper. The whole of the upper Dnieper is now in Russian hands. One column which reached the river north of Izdeshkovo is only seven miles from Dorogobuj.

The news from Russia deals largely with the Red army's continued attacks ln the Staraya Russa area and south of Vyazma and G-erman counter-attacks on the Donetz front. Further progress by Marshal Timoshenko's forces south of Lake Ilmen have led to the isolation of Kholm, an important German base about half-way between Staraya Russa and Veliki Luki. Advances south of Izdeshkovo have brought the Russians to a point a few ' miles north of Dorogobuz'n, another enemy base about 50 miles east of Smolensk. The German attacks on the Donetz front, which form part of the new battle of Kharkov, consists of two main thrusts. tn one to the north of the city the enemy claims the capture of Byelgorod by a "surprise" push by S.S. units. This is not confirmed. In time it may well prove that the Germans are attempting to recapture Kursk as well as Kharkov. Byelgorod is on the railway to Kursk. This. fighting in the northern Donetz is described by Moscow as a combination of positional warfare and war of manoeuvre, the cause being the river, which divides the main opposing forces. The river is 200 to 300 yards wide and 6till has fhick layers of ice but already, it is said, the ice is covered with a few tnches of water and continuance of the mild weather might make the river impassable. The early thaw, which so handicapped the Red army's magnificently bold offensive, may yet react against the enemy in tum. In the thrust south-east of Kharkov much depends upon the important bridgehead of Chuguyev,- which is still hela by the Russians in face of repeated strong attacks by tanks and infantry. A Moscow message says that a tremendous battle developed around the Russian bridgehead at Chuguyev, where blows from the German massed tank fists succeeded one another in rapid succession. These non-stop shock tactics succeeded in one sector in wresting some territory from the Russians, but the latest dispatches from the front-line indicate that the German mechanised forces have been halted, at least temporarily. Correspondents describe the battle, which is now entering the third week, as quite a t> furious as any of the Russian war. A supplementary communique on Friday stated: "Soviet troops on the Smolensk front having occupied the " district centre and railway station of Zdeshkovo forged ahead and occupied several other localities." The supplement also says: "Southward of

Lake Ilmen our troops, overcoming stubborn enemy resistance, occupied several localities, killed 900 Hitlerites and captured booty. Our pilots destroyed flve enemy planes." . A Moscow message says that the Soviet blow at Izdeshkovo against three infantry divisions and one motorised division has given new impact to the westward drive from Vyazma. The Russians are already well advanced in the direction of Safonov, about 50 miles eastward of Smolensk, and there are signs that the Germans are increasing their resistance by the use of large forces and artillery. They may try to offer decisive battle at Yartsevo, which was the scene of bitter fighting in August, 1941. v German Aim, The Germans on the central front are doing their utmost to prevent the Russian column which is descending the Dnieper Valley from joining the force threatenmg Durovo. They are also hanging on to the last miles of the railway between Nikitinka and Durovo. The Russians approaching Smolensk are meeting progressively tougher resistance. The Russians are now running into powerful defence positions and big troop concentrations guarding the distant approaches to Smoiensk. Soviet forces have dnven a considerable distance west of Izdeshkovo, battles for which lasted three days. A captured German officer said that in just over a week's fighting his regiment lost 60 per cent. of its effectives. The Red Air Force now has the task of softening up belts of German strongpoints. Stormoviks are plastering enemy batteries and road communications leading to the front. Marshal Timoshenko's troops, advancin? across the thawing marshes, sometimes knee deep in sticky mud, are contlnuing their advance, which in the last four days has not been halted.