ONWARD TO KHARKOV

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 116, 20 May 1942, Page 5

ONWARD TO KHARKOV

I RED ARMY CONTINUES OFFENSIVE STRENUOUS FIGHTING NEAR KERCH (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright, London, May 18. Marshal Timoshenko’s armies are still pressing toward Kharkov. The mid-day Moscow communique announced that the offensive continued during the night. Late this afternoon Moscow radio said that every hour was bringing fresh reports of the liberation of inhabited places in the Kharkov region. One unit alone had driven the enemy out of four villages. The latest official news from Moscow of the situation in the Crimea is that strenuous fighting continued during the night in the neighbourhood of the town of Kerch, and this was admitted in a German High Command announcement broadcast to-night. It is believed in London that the Russians are still resisting in small parties mi the peninsula, and while it cannot be said that the Germans have absolute possession of Kerch, they virtually con-

trol the town. The Germans have brought up; reserves in the Kharkov region: , and have counter-attacked st long-1 r ly, but they have not succeeded in ; doing more than slow down the I Russians, who at some points have; advanced nearly 40 miles. The afternoon broadcast said tti.it the Germans were sustaining enormous losses. One Russian unit destroyed 43 tanks, and another 30 tanks, while a Russian battery of artillery accounted for 18. Another Moscow broadcast described how 150 German tanks drawing armoured ears tilled with infantry were sent to relieve a garrison surrounded by Soviet forces. The German tanks succeeded in breaking , into the Russian positions, but half of I them were destroyed and the other; I —ere driven hack.