RUSSIAN FRONTS

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1944, Page 5

RUSSIAN FRONTS

NO CHANGES. LONDON, May 15. A Soviet communique stated there had been no material change in any part of the Russian fronts. Longrange planes, last night, intensively raided enemy military trains and rail junctions at Rawruska, north-west of Lwow, Stryj, south of Lwow, and Dvinsk, causing fires and explosions. An air reconnaissance over the Norwegian port of Kirkenes, near Vardoe, on Saturday night, revealed an enemy convoy consisting of 16 transports and 25 escorts. Russian planes bombed the vessels and sank three German transports totalling 19,000 tons, also a barge, auxiliary craft, and a cutter, and set on fire three additional transports, one of which was beached, and damaged two transports and an escort vessel. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says: The Red Air Force continues to pound the German rear bases and communications, while the Red r leet naval aircraft are striking in the Baltic and Black Sea as part of a softening up process for the tortncoming offensive. Calm has again descended on the land front, but the stage it set for the offensive the moment the Red Army Command desires. Roads are now drying in the north, while in the south the v have long been ready for a full offensive. German attacks north-west of Tyraspol have died down, indicating -decisive setbacks for the Germans on one of the most important sectors of the southern front.

A German Advance REPULSED AT STANISLAWOW. RUSSIAN ATTACK ON DNIESTER. (Rec 11.40.> LONDON, May 16. A Russian supplementary cominunique states: South-east of Stanislawow, a German Alpine Battalion on Monday, attacked Russian positions. They succeeded in pressing back our forward defence screen, and in occupying a small height, A Russian counter-blow dislodged Germans from the height and completely restored the situation. North-west of Tyrsapol aur units, to improve their positions, attacked an enemy bridgehead on the left (east,) bank of the Dniester Rivey. They killed at least a battalion of enemy troops. Many others were flung back into the rivei and drowned. Booty was captured and prisoners taken. RUSSIAN PATRIARCH DIES. (Rec. 8.45.) LONDON, May 16. The death of the Russian PaHiarcn, Sergi, was announced bv the Mpscow radio. He was elected Patriarch last September, when M. Stalin the appointment of a Palrla^ h H c ol v to the re-establishment of the . ■ Synod, thus ending ion? antiigoni between the Church and the Soviet Government. __