Evening star., 1943-02-25
Reds Sweep On
DespiteGrowiing
German Attacks
Nozis Claim Defeat
Of Tank Army and
Soviet Cavalry Corps
BY EDDY GILMORE.
Associated Press War Correspondent.


MOSCOW, Feb. 25.-Soviet
troops are sweeping ahead along
the entire front in the face of
increasing enemy counterattacks
and despite deep SHOWS in Orel
and Kursk Provinces and thick,
sticky mud in the Ukraine and
the Northern Caucasus, field dis
patches said today.
The weather had lifted sufficiently
however, to permit the aviation of
both sides to increase activity in the
southern districts. It was clear
enough to allow accurate bombing
and numerous aerial dognghts de-
veloped.
The German air force was re-
ported throwing its planes into the
support of tank and infantry coun-
terattacks west of Rostov, actions
which the Russians said they were
repelling with heavy loss to the
enemy
(The German high command
declared in communique broad
cast from Berlin today that Axis
forces had smashed a Russian
tank army between the Donets
and Dnieper Rivers and ami
hilated the bulk of the Soviet 7th
Guard Cavalry Corps in an en-
circlement behind the Mus River
front, west of Rostov.
CThe communique, recorded by
the Associated Press, said the
cavalry corps commander, Gen.
Borkisov, and members OF his
staff were captured)
Heavy Fighting West OF Kharkov.
The most spectacular land fight
ing was reported in the area west
Of Kharkov where the offensive is
aimed in wide sweep bearing on
the entire industrial Dnieper River
valley, with Poltava and Konotop
as the gateways and Kiev, Kremen-
chug, Dnieperopetrovsk and Ia
porozhe as the ultimate goals.
In the last "a hours two large
towns were taken in that sector,
the Russians announced, as the Red
Army smashed through enemy
screening forces. The towns were
not identified.
Izvestia, the government news
paper, reported in a dispatch from
the Ukraine that the Germans had
mustered fresh reserves to fill the
gaps in their regiments and to man
tanks In counterasSaults, but that
the Red Army artillery smashed
the Germans armor with point
blank fire from open gun positions.
German mobile units were dispersed
and their trucks were wrecked,
Izvestia said.
Prayda, the Communist party or
gan, told of dogged advance by
Soviet units through deep snow
as the TANKS north of Kursk were
brought nearer to the strong point
at Orel.
Nazi Counterattacks Thwarted.
Its dispatches said numerous en-
emy counterattacks were thwart-
ed, the German positions were en-
circled and fianked and several
oS"AAS "S1S NdPtUiCd carly III tilC
day.
Heavy enemy counterattacks con-
tinued in the Donets Basin, espe-
cially southwest of Voroshilovgrad
and north of Stalino, but here again
the Russian offensive pushed for
ward, it was declared.
Derision of German claims con-
corning the number of Russians
killed on the German Soviet front
was voiced in a statement of the
Soviet Information Bureau distrib-
uted today by Tass, Russian Official
news agency.
The statement credited the Ger
man information bureau with the
assertion the Russians had lost a
total OF 100000 men-l2 800 900
killed and wounded and 5,40O 900
captured-in 40 months of war, in
addition to $1,000 guns and "a 900
tanks.
premier Stain, in his order
OF the day on the Red Army an
niversary February %, put Ger
man losses for the same period
at 100000 dead and 5,0OO,0 900
otherwise disposed of
rs it not clear that the Fascist
buffoons overshot the mark in their
lies and published trumped-up fig
ures?" the Soviet bureau asked.