Evening star., 1942-01-20
Soviet Forces Smash
Nazis' Winter Line
AT 7 Important Point!
Foes Escape Corridor
At Mozhuisk Narrowed
Further by Russians
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Russia's armies, executing a
gigantic crack-the-whip move
ment, were reported to have mar
rowed further the escape cor
ridor" of 100000 German troops
at Mozhaisk today and smashed
Adolf Hitler's winter defense line
at two important points.
The battle for Kharkov. Russia's
pittsburgh" In the Ukraine, also
was reported entering a decisive
phase. The British radio said the
Germans reported that Kharkov lis
being furiously attacked by Soviet
forces from the north and SOUTH"
Nazis' MOzhaisk Flanks Pushed Back.
Soviet dispatches said Red Army
troops, supported by hard-riding Don
Cossack cavalrymen, had scored
gains on both f1anks of the Mozhaisk
holdout garrison, 81 miles west Of
Moscow.
Red Star, the Russian Army news
paper, said Mozhaisk was burning
and that hand-to-hand fighting was
raging in the streets.
Soviet forces stormed across the
Lama River rs miles north Of Mos
COW, sharpening the pressure above
Mozhaisk, while other Russian forces
intercepted the road to Warsaw 140
miles southwest Of Moscow, it was
reported.
Front-line dispatches said the
Russian winter was now approach
ing its peak, with temperatures
colder than Is degrees below zero F.
Berlin Press Is Frantic.
Meanwhile, in tones approaching
panic. the Berlin press declared that
the "onrushing enemy must be
stopped, no matter when, where or
how"
A bulletin from Hitler's field head
quarters. tersely reiterating that the
Germans were fighting defensive
battles" along the 1,200-mile front
from Leningrad to the Ukraine
claimed success only in the Crimeau
campaign.
The Nazi high command said Rus
sian troops fighting northeast OF
Feodosiya, which was reported re-
captured by the Germans yesterday
had been driven eastward along the
Kerch Peninsula.
The Leningrad MurmanSk rail-
way. Soviet supply route, was cut by
bombers at several points, the Ger
mans said.
"Slovak forces inflicted heavy
losses on the enemy in successful
shock troop actions" the high com.
mand said. The air force support.
ed the land battles on the entire
front, in part under extremely dim
cult weather conditions"
3 German Divisions Smashed.
Izvestia, Soviet government news.
paper, said three German division!
the 23d. the 106th Infantry anc
the 5th tank-were smashed in tht
Red Army assault across the Lams
which. it was stated. carried the
Russians from Volokolamsk through
Latoshino. The 23d Division alone
was estimated to have lost 1,500 mer
killed, it said.
Russian heavy artillery prepara-
ton, followed by CoSsack attack
broke a wide gap through the Ger.
mans strongly fortified positions
Izvestia explained.
Besides those main gains north.
west and southwest of the capital
the Russians were reported also tt
be harassing the Germans along thu
Moscow-Smolensk-M -Minsk highway
directly west OF the capital ap
preaching Mozhaisk.
Nazi Losses Put at 100000.
Red Star said the Germans made
a strong effort to defend the Mos.
cow -Bobruisk- Warsaw highway b!
laying mines, spreading barbed wire
and fortifying villages after losing
Mosalsk, but Russian cavalry came
in from a sideroad to cut the mair
road. Mosalsk Is 100 miles south.
west of Moscow
In two days OF action the Russian!
were reported to have recapturet
142 settlements in the Mosalsk Sec
tor while skiers intercepted the Ger.
man line of retreat westward.
Reuters, British news agency, esti.
mated Germany had lost 1000 ,00(
men, killed, severely wounded
missing and prisoners In the Rus.
sian campaign.