RUSSIAN BATTLES

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 May 1943, Page 5

RUSSIAN BATTLES

EARLY START PREDICTED

(Rec. 2.20 p.m.) LONDON. May 17. The German Army has moved into assault positions south-west of Moscow. Vast new battles may begin along the Russian front this week, says the “Express” military writer, Morley Richards. The Germans have great concentrations in three sectors, naiTiclv south oi Lake Ladoga, the Bryansk-Orel sector, and behind the Central Donctz. Since March, there has been a regular stream of tram and road convoys, bringing supplies to build up huge German dumps. The Red Army has been closing the same. The -world may quite likely see the Germans on the offensive in one zone, and the Russians in another. Richards says he has authority for saving that the Red Army is again up to 1942 strength. The Russians have surpassed the enemy m tanks and artillery, and it is probable that general air parity has been leached.

GERMAN LOSSES HEAVY

LONDON, May 17.

A Soviet supplementary communioue says: “During the week ended May 15 we destroyed 370 enemy aeroplanes for the Joss oi 104 of our own. Our aeroplanes on May la same an enemy transport and a trawler. On the same day the Soviet An Force destroyed or damaged 60 lorries carrying troops and supplies, and silenced 15 batteries. ■Tn the Kuban Russian artillery afid mortar fire wrecked more than 30 enemy pill-boxes and dug outs, and destroyed seven guns and 18 machine-gun nests. In one sector two enemy infantry and tank attacks were repelled, and in the hnvei Kuban an enemy attempt to cross the rive)' was repulsed. “Artillery and moruir duels aic reported from the Volkhov front. Soviet partisans in the Smolensk area in three days - fighting killed 400 Hi ier’tes and also routed two garrisons and captured six maemne-guns.