A RUSSIAN THRUST IN ARMENIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 18, 21 January 1916, Page 5

A RUSSIAN THRUST IN ARMENIA.

TURKS BEATEN ALONG A SEVENTY-MILE FRONT. ", DRIVEN IN HEADLONG FLIGHT TO EBZKROUM. (By Cafcle.—Press .Association. - Oopyrlg*LJ PETROGRAD, January 20. A communique states:—"ln the Caucasus a violent and unexpected Russian thrust dislodged the centre of the Turkish army from strong positions along a. front of nearly 70 miles between Lake Toninghal and the River Chsrjanson, northward of Malazghert. The Turkish retreat towards the fortified plain of Er/eroum degenerated at many points into a panic-stricken flight. Several units were almost annihilated. Hundreds of corpses strewd the road. "We occupied the town of Koprikeui, 30 miles east of Erzeroum." Erzeroum, a military station and fortress of considerable strategical - value, is situated at the eastern end of an open, bare plain, 30 miles !/ng and about 12 miles wide, bordered by steep, rounded mountains and traversed by the Western Euphrates. In the early days of the campaign in the Caucasus, in November, 1914, the Russian offensive reached practically the same spot that is mentioned in thf cables to-day. On that occasion heavy Turkish reinforcements compelled them to retreat, and later, among the mountain passes near Sarykamish, they inflicted a crushing defeat on the Turkish invaders. Since Sarykamish the fighting in the Caucasus seems to : have been of an intermittent and more or less of a desultory character.