Evening star., 1943-11-25
German Counterdrive
Toward Kiev Stalled,
Red Army Declares
Votutin May Attempt
To Resume Russian
Offensive Thrust
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, NOV. 25.-German
infantry tanks and planes still
battered furiously today against
a stiffening Red Army line IS
miles west of Kiev, as a Russian
communique, first in IL days to
indicate that Field Marshal
Fritz Won MannStein's desperate
drive to recapture the Ukrainian
capital had been halted, de-
clared:
"All attempts Of the Germans to
penetrate our defenses met with
failures. Our gunners, infantry and
tankmen "'' inflicted heavy losses
on the Germans and improved their
positions"
The German communique said
more ground had been gained west
of Kiev, but admitted that Naz
lines west and north of Gomel in
White Russia had been preached.
hcOS Aim AL hHcISOn.
The Russians also were declared
by Berlin to be thrusting against
Kherson, at the mouth of the Dnie-
per River, where heavy fighting
continues despite bad weather" The
Russians also preached Nazi lines
south Of Kremenchug, in the Dnie-
per bend, but Berlin said the attack
ers were annihilated by counterat-
tack.
Earlier the Berlin radio had
claimed the capture of Brusilov,
midway between Zhitomir and Kiev,
and Chernyakhov, a railroad town
13 miles north of Zhitomir. While
the Russians have admitted the loss
of some towns and villages in this
sector of the Kiev bulge, today's
bulletin indicated the German drive
had been halted short Of those two
cities.
The Russians said they killed L.
500 Germans and destroyed 80 tanks
in repulsing yesterdays attacks in
the Kiev area, while accounting for
an additional 1000 Nazis and 80
tanks in other actions which ex-
tended from Gomel in the north to
the lower end Of the Dnieper River
bend.
Whether Won Mannstein had ex-
hausted his strength in the bitter
fighting of the past IL days was
problematical, but previous reports
had said he had been ordered to
break the Russian lines before Kiev
at all costs. Indications that he
had been halted halfway to Kiev
led to the belief that Gen. Nikolai
Vatutin, whose forces reportedly
were intact. might now try to re-
sumo his offensive toward the Polish
border.
The German-controlled Paris
radio, in a broadcast recorded by
the Associated Press, claimed that
the German counteroffensive at
Zhitomir had not yet reached its
height, but admitted that Vatutin
had brought up reinforcements and
had launched q series Of counter
drives. -
Nazis Thwarted At Gomel.
Meanwhile, Moscow said that
more than $500 Nazis were slain in
the Gomel sector when they launch
ed q series of unsuccessful counter
attacks aimed at restoring their
lines north Of that beleaguered
base. To the west, Red Army
columns captured Khoiniki, a
district center 80 miles south
east Of the rail junction of Kalin-
kovichi. More than 800 Germans
were killed here as the Russians
advanced through the Pripet
marshes, regaining so more popu-
lated places, the Soviet bulletin said.
The front below Fastov as appar-
emily inactive as far as Kremen-
chug, where a bold Russian attack
captured the town of Onufrievka,
10 miles to the south and Konstan-
tinovka, on the road to Znamenka
and Kirovograd. More than 1000
Germans fell in this battle, and the
Red Army took prisoners and large
stores OF military equipment the
RugaiAns declAsed.