HARD FIGHTING SPREADS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13331, 18 December 1943, Page 3

HARD FIGHTING SPREADS

BATTLES ON RUSSIAN FRONTS' Red Army Attack In The Leningrad Area German Reports London, Dec. 17. Hard fighting in Russia has now -spread, according to German reports, right up to the Leningrad front, where the Red Army is said to be attacking a German salient. Moscow radio says that Soviet pilots on reconnaissance over this front have seen the Germans burning villages in tbeir rear. 'The Germans say they are still engaged in hard defensive fighting south-west of Nevel, where they suggest the Russians are trying to reach an important railway. It is difficult campaigning country of lakes and rivers, swamps and forests. There has been no official news from Moscow of this sector since the advance during the summer campaign. The Hermans also report numerous Soviet attacks all along the White Russia front, but they have not told up till to-day about the fighting in the Kiev bulge. They seem to have paused to lick theii wounds as the Russians group for a new assault.

In the Dnieper bend where the Red Army is threatening the railway junction of Smela and the highway centre of Kirovograd, the Geimans are using big forces of dive bombers in their attempts to check the Soviet spearheads and furious air battles are raging in the clear winter sky.