THE EASTERN FRONT

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24366, 19 September 1944, Page 5

THE EASTERN FRONT

Renewed Activity In Latvia RUSSIAN GAINS NEAR WARSAW (N.Z. Press (Rec. 12.5 a.m.) LONDON. Sept. 18. "Russian forces west of Jelgava, in Latvia, have repelled strong ' enemy infantry and tank attacks and have inflicted heavy losses," says a Moscow communique. According to German reports, largescale battles are being fought in Latvia, south of Riga, bat there, is no confirmation of these statements by. Moscow. "Importspt developments were occurring to-day. all along the Front from the. Gulf of Finland to the Bulgarian frontier, with the Bed Army scouting, consolidating, \ and building up in the last phase of the tions for the coming assault against every German-held position in the east/' says the Moscow correspondent of the Associated Press. seeking to hamper the blow, we throwing in large numbers of janKS and self-propelled guns, especially m the Baltic area. The Germans yesterday and during the night counter-at-tacked violently but unsuccessfully in the region south-west of RigaThe German radio says the Russians have concentrated 45- rifle divisions has taken place on the Warsaw front,, where the Polish commander, General Bots has announced that he is in operational communication with the - Russian artny across the. Vistula, -where Marshal Rokossovsky's troops a" advancing. The Polish army fighting within Warsaw has received daily Supplies of arms from the Russian Air.Force since the night of September W, according to a communique from General Bprs. =. "The Russians are slowly broadening the crack in the German, defences On, the east bank of the Vistula opposite Warsaw," says Reuter's correspondent in Moscow. "The Russians are beginning to gain the upper hand in toe grim tank and infantry battles north of Praga, and they are; preparing; lor the assault oh' Warsaw. . . . . "Late dispatches report that the Alexandrowski bridge across the Vistula is still intact. The bridge from ! Praga'to the heart of Warsaw. Russian machine-gunners, firing from positions near the bridge, are sweeping thteop. posite bank. Russian tanks are trundling out from side streets to loose-salvoes against the Germans and then turn back to cover. Every movement on the river banks: can be seen by either side." ' A Moscow, communique, issued last night, said:—• : >- "Russian'forces in north .Transylvania, operating jointly with Rumanian forces, have occupied several inhabited localities, including the railway station of Burciu. There has been fighting of local importance and patrol activity in other sectors." The Red Army has crossed the Bul-garian-Greek frontiers in the direction of Demirhissar and Salonika, according to the Exchange Telegraph Agency's correspondent in Istanbul. Commenting on. conditions in the Balkans, the Soviet; newspapers state that the Rumanians are fighting well, especially in Transylvania. The Ger* mans and Hungarians are reported to be murdering captured Rumanians in cold blood. Kdmsomolskaya, la "Pravda," says the: Hungarians ate torturing captured Soviet soldiers before killing them; "The Germans are fighting their way from Bulgaria across north-east Jugoslavia to jescape the say6.the tfie - Assbclaßd Press. "The' Russians" "have -reached Negotin, which was recently captured by Marshal Bros's arroies.*StrecTtfniht¥ in'g is reported in Valjevo,* whicnltne partisans by-passed on the way to Lajkovac, 30 miles.from Belgrade", :