TIMOSHENKO’S DRIVE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 114, 18 May 1942, Page 5

TIMOSHENKO’S DRIVE

GAINING MOMENTUM London, May 15. Marshal Timoshenko's drive towaras Kharkov, the great industrial city oi the Ukraine, is gathering momentum, itches from the front say that his troops have reached the Germans’ second line of defence. It is believed in London that the Russian offensive was launched on a front of some 40 to 50 miles, and the enemy positions have been penetrated to a considerable depth. The German commander defending Kharkov is reported to have thrown in large reserves of men and materials in tne last 24 hours in a vain attempt to stem the Russian arive. The Isvestia said to-day that the tempo of Marshal Timoshenko’s offenmd a correspondent with ' nies in the southwest, descrioing yesterday’s fighting, says: “As the Germans retreated they left behind on the road hundreds oi bodies and large numbers of tanks and other arms. Tired German troops were thrown into the battle straight from the march, and at some points the enemy even attempted to launch counter-attacks, but ail these efiorts failed." To-night's Moscow communique says that the Russian troops are still advancing on the Kharkov front. In two days’ lighting around Kharkov, 255 German guns have been captured, 250 German tanks destroyed or damaged, and 40 enemy planes shot down. Moscow radio, announcing successes bv Marshal Timoshenko’s forces on the Kharkov sector, says that they ; have occupied heights of strategic imI portance. One Soviet unit drove the enemy back several kilometres in an I area covered with blockhouses. At one ' point the Germans launched a ; counter-attack which the Russians ! smashed destroying 35 enemy tanks ; and damaging 40 others. Fierce local fighting has been taking ■ place in the Kalinin sector. The Rec ; Star says that in this sector the Geri mans, despite their fierce resistance j have had to abandon one position i after another. * Russian resistance on the Kerch Peninsula is reported to be stiffening The Germans said to-day that fighting 1 was going on for the heights over the I town of Kerch itself, which is apparcntly still in Russian hands. The Rus- ; sians. who made a further withdrawal to new positions in good ordei 1 yesterday, are said to be inflicting | heavy losses on the enerm* Soviet warships have Mink an enemy transport and two smaller vessels ir the Barents Sea.