EBB AND FLOW

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 187, 10 August 1942, Page 4

EBB AND FLOW

SOUTHERN FRONT Russian Successes In Some Sectors United Press Association—Copyright n«e. 1.30 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 8. A Moscow communique says the Russians fought fierce engagements in the regions of Kletskaya. northeastwards of Kotelnikovo, Armavir and Kavkaskaya. The enemy at Kletskaya, attempting to regain an inhabited locality, launched several counter-attacks, but was driven back to his original positions. A Russian unit near another inhabited locality retreated to new positions after stubborn fighting. Heavy fighting continued, with varying success, north-eastwards of Kotelnikovo against tanks and automatic riflemen who had driven a wedge into the Russian defences. The Russians fought tense, defensive engagements in the Armavir area against tanks and motorised units. The Russians in one sector launched a counter-attack and annihilated several hundred. In local lighting on the Volkhov front the Russians captured a factory which the Germans had converted Into a strong point. The Russians on the Leningrad front captured two inhabited localities, killed 900 and took considerable booty. Leningrad guerillas in the last three days have wrecked five trains. Destruction of Oilfields The Russians are reported to be destroying the Maikop oilfields. The Stockholm correspondent of the Sunday Express says the destruction began last Thursday and the wrecking Is still going on. If the Russians hold back the enemy invasion four of five days longer the destruction will be complete. All the oil wells east of Maikop are already on fire or filled with tons of cement, adds the correspondent. Oil storage and electrical installations have been demolished.

Kropotkin, nearly 100 miles south of Kushchevka, on the oil pipe line, was mentioned by the Russians for the first time last night. The Red Star said the situation there had become critical in the extreme.

The Rusisans are fighting dauntlessly in the Don bend, where the rich fields are littered with burning lorries, shattered guns, the charred remains of supply depots and dead bodies.

The Vtchy radio says Bock Is increasingly using paratroops, who come down in compact groups on the eastern bank of the Don, cut the communications between Stalingrad and the Don bend and attack the Russians from the rear.

The Moscow radio says that guerillas behind the German lines are being organised into regiments, brigades and divisions, and are being systematically strengthened by paratroops. They have killed 100,000 Germans in the past 10 months, also 300 German-appointed burgomasters in White Russia and 200 Durgomasters In the Smolensk province.