Evening star., 1943-03-22
Reds Seize Rail
Point60 Miles
From Smo|ensk
Durovo Falls in Drive
Heavy Donets Bosin
Fighting Continues
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, March 22.-Red Army
troops driving along the railroad
from Vyazma toward the great
German base at SmOlensk have
captured the railway station of
Durovo, less than so miles east of
SmolenSk, the Russians an
nounced today in a communique
which told of fierce defensive en-
gagementS against the masses of
men and tanks the Germans
have thrown into the Donets
River front.
The heaviest fighting along the
Donets River appeared to be CEN
tered in the Chuguev area, % miles
southeast Of German-held Kharkov
The Germans unofficially claimed
| the capture Of Chuguev Saturday.
but there has been no confirmation
OF its fall from Russian sources.
Todays midday communiuue. re-
corded by the Soviet radio monitor
mere, said several enemy attacks in
that district had been repulsed bv
one formation of Soviet troops and
400 Germans killed.
In another sector" the COM
munlque said, the enemy tried
several times to push back our de-
tachments and cross a river. Stub
born defense repulSed all attacks"
Tenacious Resistance.
The advance on the central front
which brought the capture of Durovo
was being made against tenacious
German resistance, it was reported
The Nazis were said to be losing
heavily in their counterattacks and
In one sector alone 200 enemy troops
were killed and large quantity of
ammunition captured, the COM
munique said.
South of Belly, which is about so
miles north of Durovo, two stronely-
fortified villages were reported taken
by the Red Army In one of the
places, the Russians counted the
bodies of 275 Germans in the streets
1t was announced. Prisoners were
captured and war material seized
1t was said.
The Russians also reported prog
ress south of Lake linen, still far
ther north. Fortified positions were
stormed and captured during the
night and more than 100 Germans
killed, the communique said.
The moderating weather brought
in atr opti
Lenlngrad and the Russians said "a
German planes were DESTROYED in
air fights, by anti-aircraft fire and
by attacks on enemy airdromes.
The German high command
communique, broadcast from Ber-
lin and recorded bv the Asso-
ciated Press, said Russian at
tempts to break through the
Nazi lines southwest of wanna
and south of Lake Ladoga were
frustrated yesterday.
The Berlin radio admitted for
the first time that the Germans
steel ring around Leningrad had
been broken.
CThe Russians triumphantlv re-
l7-month siege had been lifted
Conceded Loss of Beigorod.
The Russians conceded the loss of
Belgorod, so miles north of Kharkov.
last night as field dispatches told of
powerful German tank and infantry
forces being thrown into the Donets
River fighting.
The Hitlerites hurriedly draw up
fresh forces and hurl them into
action straight from the march. "
the midnight communique said of
the fighting southeast of Kharkov.
Fierce defensive engagements
were reported in progress in the
Chuguev area, In one sector. the |
communlque said, one Russian unit |
destroyed 80 tanks and armored
cars and wiped out battalion of
infantry in three days of ceaseless |
fighting.
The Germans forced the Russians
back at one point in this area and
recaptured settlement, but the
Russian war bulletin said Red Army
troops restored the situa ton with a
counterattack
The capture of Vadino, 60 miles
east of Smolensk was announced in
yeSi erday'S midday CommuniQue
North of BryanSk, where the Ger
man line veers sharply to the west.
the Russians said their positions at
Zhlzdra were attacked by large
infantry and tank forces with air
support Friday. The move appar-
entity was designed to ease the
pressure against Smolensk
In the Western Caucasus not
often mentioned in recent COM
munlqueS, the Red Army drove A
wedge into the German defenSes
and captured Is populated places.
including the district center of
PetroVSkoYe, so miles north of
/ NovoroSsiSk, the communique said.
German troops here, having been
driven out of the lower Caucasus,
are surrounded ON three sides. with
the sea behind them