NEW RED OFFENSIVE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 204, 30 August 1943, Page 5

NEW RED OFFENSIVE

BIG DEVELOPMENTS Recd. 6 p.m. London, Aug. 27. The new Russian offensive southwest of Orel, first mentioned in todays German communique, is developing on a large sca.e, according to the Germans. Berlin radio's commentator. Captain Sertorius, referred to it as “a new super-offensive.” Berlin states that the new offensive was launched with mass attacks by Russian tanks, planes, and mechanised infantry north and south of Sevsk. 70 miles south of Briansk, which is one of the tew enemy hedgehog strongholds left on this front. 'rhe British United Press points out that the fact that the Germans have rushed to announce the new ocensive may be a prelude to further admissions oi withdrawals, as at Kharkov. Sertorius said; “The Russians undoubtedly have launched the new offensive in the hope that the German Command had withdrawn its forces from this sector, where the situation has been comparatively quiet for a fortnight and a surprise break-through therefore was possible. “But was recognised the enemy’s offensive peparations in time. The Russian attacks were supported by unusually strong plane formations.” Sertorius claimed that Russian attacks in the Orel area had failed. Further Russian advances are reported on the Kharkov front, which Berlin admitted to-day is still the main focal point of the Russians’ summer offensive with the Russian pressure noticeably increasing. Reuter's Moscow correspondent says that Kotelva, which has been captured, was an important point in the German defence line. The British United Press reports that Mannstein, in the past 36 hours, has thrown new armoured divisions and many motorised infantry units into the battle for the northern approaches to Poltava, which commands the KievStalino railway. The Russians are still advancing in the heaviest, fighting. The whole situation may be changed by the advance of a Russian tank column, which is believed to be moving behind Poltava to cut the Kiev-Stalino railway. This would disorganise the German defences in this area. Further south the Germans are endeavouring to prevent the Russian pincer movement from trapping the large German armies in the Donetz Basin. A left hook movement, is designed to encircle Stalino from the south while another army is moving down towards the city from the direction of Izyum and is still proceeding favourably. Here also Germans are throwing in reserves.