RUSSIAN FRONTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 April 1943, Page 5

RUSSIAN FRONTS

LULL ON DONETZ

ENEMY CHECKS ELSEWHERE

LONDON, April 1.

The Russian and German armies are now both fencing hard for positions on the Donetz front in preparation for the time when the ground is again suitable for large-scale operations. It is most important for the Red Army to hold on to its present line from* the Byelgorod region to west of Rostov for the coming Summer battles. The Russians are still beating back German attempts to penetrate the Donetz defence line. General Koniev’s forces on the Smolensk front have made local advances, and General Maslennikov’s troops in the Kuban are pressing on their offensive against the diminishing German bridgehead, but the main actiyity along the whole front is now restricted to isolated artillery barrages and air operations. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says improved weather on the southern front has resulted in a flaring up of the air war. A hundred German aeroplanes were involved in a big battle when they tried to approach an important town at a river crossing. Russian fighters, outnumbered by ten to one, tore into the attackers, shot down 15 of them, and damaged eight, and dispersed the formation before it reached its target. A Red Army woman pi lot, Sub-Lieutenant Litkax, shot down her third German aeroplane in this battle. Russian pilots also shot down 18 and damaged seven German aeroplanes attacking a Russian Black Sea fleet base.. One of the few remaining stiongholds still.in German hands m the Caucasus is reported to have been stormed and captured by the Russians. This important strategical positions north of the Kuban river, 20 milels from th Sea of Azov, and a 0 miles west of Krasnodar. No important changes are reported from other sectors, but fighting is continuing east of Smolensk, southeast. of Kharkov, and north ol Rostov. Floods following heavy rain reported east and north-east of Smolensk, but the Russians have advanced in some sectors. In one engagement 100 Germans were wiped out, while in another clash a battalion of German infantry was overwhelmed. There are constant artillery duels. South-east of Kharkov, Germans carried out an attack on a Russian bridgehead, but were forced to withdraw after leaving a number of tanks and dead behind. West of Rostov a German attempt to force a crossing oi a river failed. Russian guerrillas on the central front have blown up a large railway bridge and two trains, one of them carrying enemy troops.

DEFENCE OF BRIDGEHEADS

(Recd. 12 noon) LONDON, April 1. Fighting on the Donetz front flares up and dies down spasmodically -with the Red Army clinging to their severely disputed bridgeheads. The british'United Press says that as a result of the loss of thousands of men and hundreds of tanks in fruitless attacks in the past fortnight German units shattered in the Donetz fighting are being sent to the rear for rest and regrouping, which is contributing to the decline in the intensity of the ingThe Germans are resorting to new tricks in an obstinate effort to secure a foothold on the east bank of the Donetz River. Reuter's Moscow correspondent says that small gangs of Gorman engineers assemble at isolated points and try building pontoons across the Donetz. Russian patrols and air reconnaissance have so tar thwarted the smiill beginningss of attempts to get big forces across the river. Reuter also reports that the .Russians are firmly keeping their bridgeheads on the east bank of the River in the Byelgorod and Chuguyev areas. They are daily fortifying and even improving the positions 'which the Germans have been attacking for over a fortnight. The present positional warfare, the re-grouping of forces behind the lines and the dispositions ot fresh reserves, although not dramatic in appearance, arc actually of the. highest importance in the game of military chess, being played to determine which side will get the initiative in the Spring campaign. Clogging ground and supply difficulties are not stopping the Russians in the Kuban nibbling at the German line. The Russian capture of Anastasevskaya is of great strategic value because it is the junction of a number of important roads and its fall makes the German position on the north bank of the Kuban River much more difficult. In addition to the. capture- of Anastasevskaya the Russians have taken more settlements and have also severed communications between several large German strongholds. Berlin radio declared that the Russians have launched new attacks on a broad front against the northern part of the Kuban bridgehead with tanks, battleplanes and heavy artillery.

Reuter reports that the Russians in the rear of the Kuban front are feverishly working to restore the road and rail communications which the retreating Germans destroyed. Trains are already again running over the 100-mile stretch between Voroshilovsk and Kavkaskaya. The German News Agency claimed that strong Russian attacks against the German positions south of Lake Umen from Staraya Russa along the Lovat River to Kholm and also, a vigorous Russian attempt to loosen the ring around Leningrad have been brought to a standstill.