Evening star., 1942-12-18
Russian Troops
ExtendGaiinsin in
Rzhev Sector
Nuzi Dive-Bombinq
Attacks RepeIIed,
Battalion Destroyed
BY the Associated Press.

other village on the vital Rzhev-
Vyazma railway line west Of
Moscow during last nights fight
ing, beating off German dive
bomber attacks and destroying
battalion of German infantry
the Russian midday communique
said today.
Soviet anti-aircraft fire brought
down three Nazi planes in the
battle, it was added.
The engagement came in the
wake of reports that counterattack-
ing Germans suffered another Sc
we're setback west of Rzhev, losins
more than company. and of a
strong Soviet denial of yesterdays
Nazi claim that the Germans had
trapped a Russian army at Toro-
pets, short distance northeast
Of Valikie Luki
In their denial the Russians
limited strongly that a Red Army
force was moving southwark toward
Smolensk, which is one of the
anchor points of the German line
in Russia.
Southwest of Town.
They placed the Russian columns
at point about 60 miles south
of Toropets and about 40 miles
west.
An official statement declared thu
Germans had been hurled back thost
distances from Toropets "as far bacl
as the winter of 1941-42."
TorOpets, the Soviet Information
Bureau said, can be regarded with
full justification as town in the
Soviet rear where even the salvos
OF heavy guns cannot be heard
The move gave promise of new
pincers action developing on the
central front. They first by-passeo
Rzhev on the north and came dowr
the railway toward Vyazma on the
southwest.
The Toropets column had reached
the area of Belly and was even now
conducting an offensive which
already has utterly routed" the
33d German Tank Regiment, the
216th Infantry Regiment and the
18th Chasseurs Battalion, the in
formation bureau said.
1000 Germans Lost.
I'm these engagements the Ger
mans lost more than 1000 officers
and men killed, ITO tanks, about 81
guns and 100 machine guns. $50
trucks and 10 cart trains with sup
plies"
In addition, II planes were de-
stroyed on an airdrome and fuel
and ammunition dumps were blown
up, the Russians said.
Their own losses, the Information
Bureau reported, were 1000 killed,
lis missing and 10 tanks, 48 guns
and 800 trucks destroyed.
Extension of the Toropets-Belv
drive to meet a continued push along
the railway through wanna would
lead the two columns toward Smo-
lensk.
The position of Rzhev itself be-
comes more serious in this situation
The Russians have cut the railroad
west to Velikie Luki and southwest
to Vyazma, and the German garri-
son at Rzhev has been relying on
road and plane transport for nearly
three weeks to provision it.
The Soviet column at Belv can
thus strike at the truck trains bring
ing In food and ammunition over
the snow.
Reds Developing Gains.
Meanwhile, Red Armies were re-
ported developing their gains in the
Surovikino area, 80 miles west OF
Stalingrad, after furnishing tank
battles on the approaches to Kotel-
nikovski.
There is every reason to believe
Russian sources said, that the Suro.
vikino campaign is going we'll ane
may extend the corridor developed
down and across the Don River tc
come at Kotelnikovski from thu
north as we'll as from the northeast
Numerous Nazi troop and trans.
port planes still are able to entel
the Don-Volga salient before Stal.
lngrad, however, and seven more
nave been downed in the last o
hours, the Russians reported.
Heavily fortified, well-euuippee
and excellently led, the German
forces there were said to be still
compact with their liaison unbroken
Many Casualties.
The midday communique listec
more than 1900 Germans killed
eight planes brought down and II
tanks knocked out on the front ir
the nights fighting.
At least part of the Sovie,
strength was going back into often.
slve action near Kotelnikovski. thu
Russianes said.
1t was in this area that for sew
oldl udyS Ine Germans threatened
to balk the slow and steady progress
OF the Russian winter offensive a.
they threw reserves into the wax,
OF huge tank forces and pounded
the Russian positions with low.
flying planes.
The main German thrust was a
Russian columns which had no
been able to fortify the lines the,
established, and early in the engage.
ment the Russians officially admit.
ted a withdrawal before the fierc,
Nazi counterattacks on the snowy
foggy battlefields.
Today's early war bulletin re.
ported, however, that Russian armo,
had been brought to bear and "oul
troops continued offensive opera.
tions with part of their forces. Ou,
tankmen wiped out 1925 enemy of
ficers and men, disabled five tanks
destroyed 30 guns, IL trucks will
supplies and So blockhouSes and cap