BLOODY FIGHTING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 61, 15 March 1943, Page 5

BLOODY FIGHTING

SITUATION AT KHARKOV CRITICAL

Recd 7 p.m. Rugby, March 13. Sanquinary fighting continues round Kharkov and the city’s situation is clearly critical. A supplementary Russian communique to-night says:—Large enemy tank and infantry forces attacked the Russian position at Kharkov, and under pressure the Red Army took up new positions from which they repelled attacks, inflicting enormolis losses North of the city the Germans continued to attack, resulting in more heavy fighting, while southward of the city enemy regiments, supported oy many tanks, repeatedly assaulted the Sc viet positions but in the end were compelled to fall back to their starting point. . A Moscow message says:—Several days ago the Germans concentrated 15J tanks and a number of regiments which tried to crash through the defer ces of Kharkov but lost nearly half their panzer units and the attack was held. With fresh reserves the Germans struck in another direction, sending incessant waves of 20 to 30 tanks. Soviec resistance, however, was very stubborn, cavalry joining in defence of the city, while westward oi Kharkov the efficiency and heroism of Soviet sappers under most difficult conditions helped to inflict very heavy losses on the enemy. One Red Army formation in two days’ fighting crippled 46 German tanks, destroyed over 100 lorries and wiped out several thousand men.

According to an earlier Soviet communique, Red Star says: Kharkov is being subjected to an incessant blitz, with dogfights raging in the sky. Eke where the Russians report progress They continued the offensive westward of Viazma and captured « number cf places, including the railway station of Utra. Progress was also reported near Byeloi, with the liberation of several localities It is believed in London that the general situation in Russia is now deminated by the spread of the thaw, w'hich is now- probably evident as far north as Viazma. One view is that stabilisation may be reached temporarily and big advances one way or the oth«-r may be unlikely during the next few weeks. —8.0.W.