RUSSIAN FRONTS

Grey River Argus, 1 May 1944, Page 5

RUSSIAN FRONTS

NOT MUCH CHANGE New Offensives Predicted

[Aus. & N.Z. Pres? -Assn.] (Rec. 9.25.). LONDON, April 29. Saturday night’s Russian communique says: No important changes occurred along the front to-day. A supplementary communique reports: The Russians, south-east of Stanislawow, have repelled several attacks from ehem v tanks and infantry. They wiped out about a battalion of Germans. Russian machinegunners, after the Germans attacked, drove into the enemy’s flank and struck the attackers from Stormoviks. Fighter ’planes raided an enemy aerodrome on the Baltic front, and destroyed ten German 'planes in combat and eleven others on the ground. To-day’s German communique says: “Our troops south-west of Kowei, supported by the Luftwaffe, penetrated deeply in the echeloned positions. and hurled Russians back in the Turiya River sector.” The British United Press says: Turiya sector is 20 miles south-west of Kowei and is far ahead of any positions the Russians claimed to have reached. It is believed that the great Russian drive for Lwow is imminent.

Russian reports state that Marshal Von Mannstein is still fighting hard to gain ground and find a weak spot in Marshal Zhukov’s defences on the lower Dniester River. “All Russian penetration attempts on the lower Dniester were repelled and heavy losses were inflicted,” states the Roumanian communique. “No changes of any importance have occurred in central Bessarabia. Fierce fighting is in progress north of lasy. Russians continue’ to attack with strong formations scupnorted by armour. local breaches were sealed or reduced by counter-at-tacks.”

‘A big Russian offensive in central and northern sectors was forecast by a Berlin military spokesman, who was quoted by the Vichv radio. “All the evidence suggests that a gigantic offensive in the direction of Warsaw and the Baltic States is imminent,” said the spokesman. “The southern fighting is onlv secondary bv comparison, but it is clear that the Russians will intensify their attacks in Roumania in a drive for Ploesti and Galatz.”

Reuter’s stated the Red Army has •forced the Pruth River at a new point below Jassv. opening another phase in the battle for Roumania. In the face of fierce German crossfire from a line of armoured cupolas, they gained the west bank. Russians are now storming westwards. Troops crossing the river clung to planks, old tyre tubes and petrol tins. “Red Star’’ states that bitter fighting is raging on the approach to Sebastopol. A Roumanian communique claims that local Russian attacks against the Sebastopol bridgehead were unsuccessful. “The Times’s” Moscow correspondent says: The majority, if not the whole of Tolbukhin’s Army, which early in April forced the .northern German barrier into the Crimea has already been shifted to the main southern front on the Dniester where again it has come into the battleline alongside Malinovsky’s forces. Sebastopol’s reduction is thus apparently largely left to Yeremenko’s forces, reinforced with heavy siege guns. The Moscow radio stated that the Red Fleet in 24 hours smashed five German convoys trying to evacuate the remnants of the Crimean Army from Sebastopol.

Moscow announced that during the night warships of the Black Sea Fleet discovered two groups of enemy snips near Sebastopol. One enemy transport was attacked while leaving Kazachya Bay. Another convov of two transports, a trawler and patrol boat was discovered near Khersoness lighthouse, proceeding westwards. The transports and one patrol boat were sunk. Other escort vessels were damaged. The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press says: Reserves of men, guns, ’planes and tanks on a’ mammoth scale are pouring in behind the Russian front. Roads to the front are filled, with supplies. Nobody in Moscow believes that the present lull will last long because the'Red Army is noted for the speed with which it regroups. The German attacks. £hat have been made since the beginning of the lull have been easily contained without drawing on reserves intended for a continuation of offensive action.

The German News Agency reported pew Soviet concentrations in the Jassy sector. Itsays that Russian efforts to break through the German front north of Jassv and to cut off the German southern army have already assumed terrific weight. Though it might link; up with another Soviet push south of Galatz In a large pincer move, the main Soviet offensive, however, when it breaks, is expected further north, since important troop concentrations have bean observed. An authority is quoted by the Scandinavian Telegram Bureau as saying that the Germans have brought up masses of heavy howitzers to meet the Russian guns north of Jassy and then there will be a breathing spar**