The Wilmington morning star., 1943-08-21
Russia New Steppe Army
Crashes Into Foe In
Sudden Lunge
WINTER DRIVE MARK
Latest Conquest Is High
water Level Of Last
Years Offensive

LONDUN, catuI"ay' mug
21.-(P)-Russia's new step
No. no arnlv smashed deep into
the F Ukraine almost 100 miles
northwest rlnr of Kharkov to cap
4ure Nv Lebedin, highwater
mark Of last winters often
siive sive, Moscow announced ear
Ir' " t. today, while London re-
ports Indicated the Req army
had encircled all but 13 miles
of Kharkov itself.
VI 1ebedin [lstv is 100 miles from
the starting point Of the So
Wet ,is Ukanian offensive near
F,s Rs1aorod and midway be-
tween captured Akhtyrka and
tSrs tSrsatened Sunny. The Rus
s sisn column that took it ap-
nsrantlv rn was aiming for the
| vital rail junction of Konotop n
on the Kiev-Bryansk railway
"a miles to the northwest.
Russians Attack Furiously
(The BIC quoted a B erl n
broadcast as saying the Russians
"are now attacking furiously at
six widely-separated points along
a 1,OOO.mile 'front.' between Len
ingrad and Murmansk in the far
north. NBC heard the BIC
broadcast, which, if true, means
the Russians are opening a new
offensive on the long-stalemated
Finnish 'front.'
A Moscow communique record
ed by the Soviet monitor said a
total of 6,lOO Germans were killed
yesterday on all fronts, including
l.4OO in the Kharkoy zone, $500
on the central front southwest of
Spas Demensk, and 1900 on the
Bryansk front.
On the Bryansk front the Soviets
acknowledged fierce German op
position as they pounded on from
captured Karachev, 25 miles to th'
east. Farther north, in the Spa!
Demensk offensive, the Russians
were moving between the two rail.
Il roads leading to Smolensk roughly
IS miles northWestWard.
In the Ukraine offensive over
20 towns and villages fell to driv-
ing columns northwest OF Kharkov,
= said the communique. The Ger
3manS countered with .resh infan-
try and tanks in an effort to stem
fhe Red army advance.
N Opposing tanks crashed over
tine countryside in a weaving bat
Stle OF armor but the Germans re-
ceded after 45 Of their tanks were
disabled by Soviet fire. Victor.o .ous
SsfusSlans captured fuel and am.
1nunltlon supplies as the Germans
tled, the bulletin added.
A number of fortified places
were reported captured by the
fusSlans southeast of Kharkov. It
%as IN this general area that the
PaSV German escape corridor mar
oWeo TO a single railway. The
ueImanS were making every SUBJ
tIoan crossroads resistance CEN
vi IN lhelr effort to delay the
fomp!ete encirclement of the citv
soviet planes were soaring over
'ng ground troops, crushing enemv
plno0xes S and strong points in the
uuI N oattle for Kharkov. Russian
.oopS on the east and southeast
tai1o. pjI were reported only few
ra05S n5lgS outside the city, and for a
orin WIN Sllock troops have been bat
rrag foI. reinforced Germans in the
ToI5@eaStern suburbs.
han. 'le Bryansk fighting the Ger
efensa n lsll back to well-prepared
ftAse ~ " Positions and Offered
sd ''oSlslance," oS the conmunique
5.ro oee Soviet unit was said
caat.. ca.e lought through these lines
,inin4 s~p'ule several hamlets after
anh,s.S nns GuF 800 Germans. Another
nd eu bee. a German defense nest
ttacps pea' pack repeated counter
(sntIris. InS, killing 500 Germans and
|ssrpr5ag stroa ag war material.
)ernen5g;p enoagpolnts southwest of Spas
|no I,.SA bnA 1e1 to the Russians after
han, VaIalons ''s of defending Ger
serro,' T were wiped out. The dogged
-''aS brought up more re-
NVltl1nnd