Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-16
Americans Push Back RommeI
At Faid but Yield Gafsa in South;
Reds Reported at Kharkov Gates
Russians Ending
Struggle Around
Ukraine Capital
BY the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
The Russians, with numeri-
cally far superior forces" have
succeeded in penetrating the
suburbs of Kharkov, capital of
the Ukraine, the German high
command acknowledged in it's
communique today, but said
German divisions defending the
city were fighting stubbornly and
destroyed 20 Soviet tanks.
The communique, broadcast by the
Berlin radio and recorded in New
York by the Associated Press, said
the Russians were using massed
tanks and infantry in their attacks
and that they lost q total of Is tanks
yesterday.
Dispatches from Moscow said the
Russians reported that the advanc-
ing Red Army had cracked Hitler
southern battle front along a 400
mile line from the regions of Orel
Province to Bolshie Sally, 36 miles
northeast of Taganrog, and is clos
ing the struggle about Kharkov and
pushing three active spearheads
into the Donets Basin.
Both the official communicates and
dispatches from the front line gave
little information about what was
happening in the region of Kharkov
but it was believed by Moscow OBJ
servers that furious fighting was
raging about the ancient capital,
which was supplanted in 1884 by
Kiev as seat of the Ukraine govern
ment.
Advance Continued.
The only mention in the Soviet
midday communioue said the Rus
slams continued to advance in the
region Of Chuguev, about % miles
southeast of Kharkov.
There were no reports from the
battle lines northeast, north and
northwest Of the important rail
junction.
Nor were there late reports from
the Lozovaya or Kramatorsk sectors
which marked the western tip of the
drive by the armies of Col. Gen. N.
F. Vatutin.
But in the region north of Rostov
the Russians said their forces had
recaptured 20 more populated points
west of Shakhty, advanced on a
number OF towns west of Likhaya,
and pushed flank southwest from
Voroshilovsk after heavy German
counterattacks.
=. At this point, it was indicated, the
Soviet troops appeared to be closing
in on the last remaining German
held east-west railway line in the
Donets Basin-the road from Lik-
haya to Debaltseva. The Red Army
forces now were reported to be both
north and south OF the line.
German Counterattacks.
An earlier Soviet communique told
OF three counterattacks by picked
German troops in the Chuguev area
where, it said, hundreds of enemy
dead and six disabled German tanks
were left on the battlefield, and told
OF the rout of enemy infantry in
another sector of that battlefront.
Red Star, army newspaper, said
TaganrOg was threatened both from
the east and northeast and that
Soviet cavalry had slashed through
to cut the railway between Rostov
and Taganrog, possibly isolating a
STABLE German rear guard.
North of Kharkov a Soviet broad
cast reported the capture of Dros-
kovo, an important road junction
between the two German strong
points of Orel and Livni. This was
part OF the powerful Russian often
sive that stemmed from Voronezh.
In getting west of Livni the Soviets
had placed that city in active
jeopardy.
Russian operations west of Shakhty
ana Llkhaya, plus the liberation of
the area from Rostov to Mozdok
IN the Caucasus, have cleared this
lengthy stretch of rail line connect
ing the great food-producing areas
OF the south with Moscow and other
sectors of the Soviet Union.
Spring Planting Begun.
Russian railway workers already
are getting the line into operation
for freight movements and spring
planting is under way in the Dor
Cossacks land of the Kuban and In
the black earth regions of the
Donets Basin.
For the first time since January
II the Russians last night omitted
the special communique device they
have employed to proclaim signifi-
cant gains in their winter offensive
but their regular communicate was
fllled with reports of advances in
the Donets Basin as they developed
thelr successes at RoStov and Voro-
shilovgrad.
The Russians detailed successes in
the ukraine and RoStov regions in
Guiding the capture of railway CEN
tiers and large towns.
The early Russian communioue
also lengthily denied a report it SAID
the London Daily Express had car
rled from its Stockholm correspond
ent, saying the Germans had trans
ferred as many as 40 divisions from
the Russian front to Germany and
occupied countries.
Col. Rush ADD0inted Chief