BOTH SIDES READY
THE RUSSIAN FRONT
Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, July 4. For .the.third time in three days, the German news agency has issued a warning that a Russian offensive can be expected at any moment. The news agency said that the Russian preparations in the central and southern sectors, where transport movements and troop concentrations have been intense, are now complete, and added that German preparations to meet a Soviet assault had long since been completed. The news agency reported heavy Russian attacks south of Velikie Luki. "Hard fighting for tactical positions at this key point has been going on for a week," it said. Berlin radio admitted that the Germans on the central front had been forced to fall back south-west of Dorogobuzh, which is 50 miles west of Smolensk.
Vichy radio stated that the Germans in the Smolensk area had been compelled to shorten their lines and thus had reached more favourable positions.
It is believed in London that the Germans are expecting a Russian blow at Taman, the German lifeline to the Kuban bridgehead in the Caucasus. The Red Air Force has been battering Taman harbour and various communication centres on the Caucasian bridgehead for several days. There have also been indications of growing German concentrations in the Caucasus.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1943, Page 5
Word Count
213BOTH SIDES READY Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1943, Page 5
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