Evening star., 1942-05-18
Russians Pressing On
In Spite Of Enemy
Counteruttucks

BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, May 18.-With the
Red Army closing in steadily on
vital Kharkov, battlefront dis
patches reported today that the
Germans were hurting flying
wedges of tanks and trailer-car-
ried troops into death traps in
the Russian lines in a desperate
attempt to break up the often
sive now in its seventh day.
Pravda reported that these Nazi
counterattacks on wheels and
treads, as we'll as mass German par
achute landings of as many as l20
troops at time, had failed to check
the impetus of the Russian thrust.
Already that drive has gained II
to 81 miles over blood stained battle
fields Uttered with the bodies of
10000 German dead and the wreck
age OF war materials hard to replace,
the Russians announced officially.
Qn London British military
commentator said Marshal Tim
oshenko's armies have doubled
the scope of their offensive oper-
ations on the Kharkov front
since May II, and their left wing
now rests on Krasnograd, about
so miles southwest of Kharkov.
The Russians now are ad-
vancing on a front about 100
miles long, extending on an arc
northward from Krasnograd
through Chuguev to Volchansk,
the commentator added. The
Russian advance may have been
slowed down but not halted, the
commentator said)
Reuters reported from Stock
holm that German reports
reaching the Swedish capital
said Soviet troops on the Khar-
kov front had reached and en-
circled "a German base" Reu-
ters said some Swedish observers
understood this to be a fortifica-
ton in the inner defense zone
of Kharkov. One German-con-
trolled radio station, however,
was said to have announced that
the position had been relieved
after three and a half days of
siegeD
More Tanks Put in Use.
Pravda reported that the Germans
were using-and losing-tanks in
constantly increasing numbers in an
attempt to save Kharkov and safe
guard the vulnerable southern flank.
The Communist party organ said
that in a single attack $50 tanks
pulling armored trailers loaded with
troops were hurled against Russian
lines in an attempt to break through
to besieged Nazi position.
When the first attack was stopped,
the Germans followed up with Is
others during the same day, Pravda
said. 1t reported that 18 tanks were
destroyed in the first clash and 43
in the others, and said that where
lines they were smashed by intense
anti-tank fire.
Reporting attempts to land troops
from the air in back of the Russian
line, Pravda said swarms of 100,
so and 80 parachutists had been
dropped in recent operations, but
that two of these groups were wiped
the ground.
Reports Continued Drive.
A special communique trium-
phantly announcing these Soviet
successes during the period May r.
IS, declared the drive was contin-
uing unabated, and the army organ
Red Star asserted German resist
ance had been definitely broken"
in one sector.
The special announcement did
not mention the situation on the
Crimean front to the south, but the
regular communique issued last mid
night by the Soviet Information
Bureau declared fighting still was
raging near the city of Kerch, which
the Germans said Saturday they
had captured.
At midday today, the regular So
Wet communique reported that So
Wet soldiers fought stiff engage
ments "in areas of the town of
Kerch."
CThis indicated the Russians
still held part of the Crimean
city. However, British mill
tary commentator in London said
the Germans were in complete
possession of the Kerch penin-
sula, except for Russians hold
ing isolated positions.
(Reports reaching Stockholm