TENSION IN MOSCOW

Grey River Argus, 6 April 1943, Page 1

TENSION IN MOSCOW

German Offensive EXPECTED ON BIGGER SCALE. SOUTH-WEST OF MOSCOW. LONDON, April 4 A warning that the Germans are soon likely to launch a flat-out attack against the Soviet is given by Mr. Alexander Werth, Moscow correspondent of the “Sunday; Times.” Werth is a Russian, born of a Russian father and a British mother. The “World’s Press News” in its most recent issue says that Werth is in close, confidential touch with the Russian authorities and that messages from him carry particular weight. Werth’s despatch to the “Sunday Times” says there is an unmistakeable feeling of tension in Moscow. There is a deep consciousness everywhere of big events in store. The Germans’ increasing attempts ’to gain a foothold on the east side of the Donetz River are clearly preliminary to much bigger operations planned, probably, for the very, near future. The German concentrations are already very heavy at Orel, Bryansk, and Byelgorod, respectively north and south of the Kursk salient. The German Command clearly considers the wiping out of the salient essential. The Germans are talking of doing “a Stalingrad” on the Russians at Kursk to avenge Stalingrad. The Russians, are therefore, preparing for extremely heavy lighting. The Germans are likely to concentrate everything for a big drive against Moscow. The enormous troop concentrations at Orel and Bryansk may attempt to strike out in a direct, line. The Russians are keyed up. “We are to stick it, but it may well be a grimmer summer than last,” is a remark frequently made by soldiers. There are no illusions about the German strength and it is also realised that the German total mobilisation will be a formidable factor in 1943. General Dietmar, speaking over the Berlin radio, says. that surprises are in store for the Russians in a few months’ time. The Germans most definite offensive at oresent is being made south of Izyum, where they are keeping up tireless efforts to dislodge the Russians from the bridgeheads on the west bank of the Donetz. Fightinginside the small loop of the Donetz is raging fiercely. The German attacks beginning with a 45-minute air bombardment, lasted all yesterday'. The Germans at one stage penetrated the Russian front line, but a counterattack restored the position. Although the battlefront has quietened the Russian Press warns the people that there are testing struggles ahead. The Germans are stated to be rushing up a huge number of freshly-formed divisions. Russian guerrilla's have observed an endless procession of trains in the Ukraine where the fast-drying ground is favouring concentration. Soviet President OPTIMISTIC ARTICLE. LONDON. April 4. M. Kalinin, the Soviet President, in an article in all Russian newspapers adopts a more optimistic note. He says Hitler has been twice forced to admit that the German Army has

been within a hairs-breath of catastrophe, firstly, at Moscow and then at Stalingrad. The German Army will a third time fall into a pit dug for itself. The lightning war planned by the, Germans will not succeed. Hitler now hopes to win the war of attrition. Hitler expected as a result of the total mobilisation to be able to rob the occupied countries to restore his shattered material resources. Hitler is a gambler. Luck, at First, was on' his side, but since the attack on Russia it has been failing mm. Our task is to frustrate all Hitler's ventures. M. Kalinin, after stressing the responsibility) of. agricultural workers and the importance of cultivating every) available scrap of land, said: “The enemy fe on our territory, greedily drinking our people’s blood. Only shells and bullets can close his insatiable mouth.” Moscow radio reported that the Red Army is now generally, using a new type’ of tank, called the il)6, which was first used for breaking the Leningrad 'blockade, - when it stormed the steep bank of tha< Neva River, which the Germans considered tank-proof. The German News Agency stated that the Russians, for the first time since’ the winter are attempting to supply Leningrad by ships escorted by icebreakers across Lake Ladoga.

Caucasus Position STILL UNCERTAIN. ''' LONDON, April 4. On the Russian fronts the great question mark at the moment is: Will the Russians retake Novorossiisk? An amazing position exists in Novorossiisk. The Germans hold the town and the port. They have not been able to use the port because a group of Russians throughout the winter clung to big cement works oh the southern outskirts and their guns dominate the port. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent points out that a determined Russian movement in the Kuban has been going on for a week and that the capture of Prikubarisky which is 29 miles from Novorossiisk, indicates that the tempo is being maintained. The Kuban territory is rapidly drying out under strong sunshine, according to a Moscow message, soviet troops are becoming more active, ■they have reached a new German defence line and driven in wedges, which they are methodically widening, in spite of enemy counter-at-tacks. Air battles continue favourably for the Red Air Force, wniClihas brought down nine German aeroplanes in eight dog-fights for the loss of one machine. . . ’ r