Now Raging In Russia

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 29, 3 August 1942, Page 5

Now Raging In Russia

GERMAN WEDGE IN SOUTH

N LONDON, August 2. The Russians are still holding fierce enemy attacks in the Don bend, but further south they admit the Germans have driven a wedge into their positions at Salsk, about 100 miles south-east of Rostov.. The Russians are also holding up heavy enemy attacks in the Tsimlyansk area, but they are still retreating south to the lower reaches of the Don.

The Germans say they hays cut the important StalingradNovorossisk railway at Salsk, a junction town about 100 miles so.uth.east of Rostov. The enemy claimed control of this town yesterday, and today's Soviet communique admits that a deep wedge has been driven into the Russian positions there by numerically superior German forces.

The "News Chronicle" reporter says that it must,now be assumed that the Stalingrad-Novorossisk railway is no longer functioning as a through route. On the railway line from .'Rostov -to Baku the Germans have reached Kushehevka. a railway junction 50 miles due south of Rostov, where the branch line runs to Novorossisk. ' .

Today's German communique claims an advance down this branch line in the direction of Kuban, 100 miles to the south-west. In the Tsimlyansk area, 150 miles north-east of Rostov, the Russians are sucessfully hold off a threateningflank attack on Stalingrad, 100 miles further north-east.

A heavy toll is being taken of snemy; tanks and infantry crossing the Don at this point and those which haye succeeded in reaching the south Bank have not been able to make any further advance.

In the Don bend, where the Germans have been making another drive towards Stalingrad, 70 miles to the niorth-east, the Russians have inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. This battle has been taking place south of Kletsl:aya for the past week, and, according to the Russians, the Germans have not succeeded in reaching the west bank of the Don. A German communique claims that a bridgehead has been established in this area by German and Italian troops and it also claims a number of successful air attacks on Russian shipping in the Volga. < THREE BATTLES FOUGHT. ' Three great battles are raging. One is in the Don elbow, south of Kletskaya; another is at Tsimlyansk; and the third on a front of 150 miles from Sahsk: to Kushchevka.- The Germans are attempting to drive south-east from the Kletskaya area against Stalingrad. The position here is reported to be much more favourable to the Russians.

The "News Chronicle" correspondent points out that the Russians are holding strategic positions in a range of hills where they continue to repel attacks. The Germans are about 70 miles from their objective and have yet to reach and cross the Don..

In the Tsimlyansk ,area, the Nazis are recklessly trying to cross the lower Don in force, but the Russians are holding their, ground. The "News Chronicle" correspondent takes this as an indication that, in this sector the Russians are in considerable* strength. Several days ago the Germans established a bridgehead, but the Russians say it has not been of n-faek' use to them.

clear.' ' : ' r"''' The position on the Salsk frontier, where the front runs east and west, i$ obscure. Moscow reports that in this area the Cossacks are beating off repeated tank forces and holding their ground under constant dive-bombing. Though there may have been some withdrawals there has been no breach

A Russian success is reported between Moscow and Leningrad. Here the Russians are stated to have improved their position in one sector of the front and they are now threatening, important enemy lines of communication. Repeated enemy attacks have been repulsed.