RUSSIAN FRONTS

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1943, Page 5

RUSSIAN FRONTS

TROOPS MASSING Berlin Expecting Big Attacks i Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Rec. 12.25.) LONDON, May 19. The Vichy radio says: German reconnaissance has established that a large Russian armour troop units are concentrated in the Moscow sector. and also in the region of Kuban. It is believed in Berlin that the Russians will shortly launch a largescale attack on both sectors, particularly against the new German positions west of Krymskaya.

Kuban Fighting

GERMAN ATTACK REPULSED

LONDON, May 18. The ’ Germans yesterday made fresh and violent efforts to dislodge the Russians from the positions they have gained north-east of Novorossisk, in the Kuban. Several fierce enemy attacks, supported by tanks and aeroplanes, were thrown back with heavy losses. The Russians improved their positions when small-scale fighting flared up in the Kuban, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. The Russian military commentator, Vassilliev, declared the Red Army had reached new German defence positions seven to 20 miles from Novorossisk. The Red Army is bringing up heavy artillery to clear the way for infantry.

A correspondent says that the German counterattacks north-east of Novorossisk failed completely. The Germans in the Lilichansk bridgehead sector are exhausted by heavy losses, and are now limiting activity to almost continuous shelling, aimed at hampering the Russians in the task of digging in and consolidating. The Exchange Telegraph’s ' Moscow correspondent reports that the local initiative in the Taman has shifted back temporarily to the Germans, but without change of positions. The Russians maintained’ a hold on the important road which they intersected recently. Elsewhere in Russia the most marked activity was at Lisitichansk, on tne Dorietz, where fierce artillery duels are being fought.

POSSIBLE MOVES IN COMING OFFENSIVE.

LONDON, May 18

The Berlin radio claimed that strong Russian forces are concentrating in the Tula-Kaluga region, probably with the intention of attacking in the direction of Smolensk. The Berlin’s radio' commentator, Capt. Sertorius, says the Russians mav be concentrating troops in the TulaKaluga areas for defensive reasons, but probably the enemv intends to attack westwards, hoping to unhinge the German positions around Smo--lensk. A second offensive alternative is an attack southwards, aimed to eliminate the German salient at Orel. The Russians in either direction will encounter German defences which they will not be able to overcome. “Red Star” is carrying appeals to the Russians similar to those during the Stalingrad fighting. “If the enemy attempts an advance, not one foot of ground should be yielded. Each village and each house must become a bastion of defence.”