Germans Launch Major Attack On Leningrad Front

Northern Advocate, 18 May 1943, Page 3

Germans Launch Major Attack On Leningrad Front

LONDON, May 16 Another correspondent ' -reports a strange kind of warfare is going on in the Kuban, battles being fought from small ships in river channels, also among tall reeds on river banks. The Russians recently seized and continue to hold the principal river highway through the region. Northeast of Novorossisk fighting has split up into several battles between small groups attempting to capture hilltops. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says powerful Russian air sweeps against troops, aerodromes and rail junctions continue with growing momentum. “Spring offensive’’ centres, such as Bryansk, Gomel and Orel, in the past two days, have received the attention of Russian long-range bombers, which have wrecked dozens of loaded trains and caused large fires and explosions. Russians Into Donbas? Establishment and consolidation of the strong Russian bridgehead on the south bank of the Donetz, near Lisichansk, and reports of. a Russian crossing of the Donetz east of Liman, suggest the possibility of an imminent Red Army offensive against the Donbas industrial region. “The Times” Moscow correspondent says before the Russian attack near Lisichansk, the Germans occupied all the commanding heights on the south bank of the Donetz and were able to build up powerful defences. The Russians. after crossing the river, seized a village on the hill slope, A brick battle followed a German attempt to restore the position, the Russians knocking out many tanks with artillery. There are indications that the Germans are gathering strength for another big counter-attack, but the Russian air force is actively forestalling preparations. A large force of Germans, which crossed to the north-bank of the Donetz, south of Liman, in an attempt to divert the Russians from Lisichansk, suffered a costly defeat, reports the British United Press Moscow correspondent. The first German group from this force landed by boat, but was dispersed and routed. Russian artillery caught the second group in midstream and sank 12 boats. More than 200 Germans were killed or drowned.

A Soviet special communique tonight reads: “Last night the Soviet air fore? raided railway junctions at Bryansk. Kremenchub and Dnepropetrovsk. Thirty fires were started at the railway junction of Bryansk, the fires being followed by large explosions. At Kremchug and Dnepropetrovsk ammunition dumps and railway trains were set on fire. These fires were also followed by explosions. One of our planes failed to return.” Russians Have Good Week A Soviet supplementary communique states: The Russians during the week ended May 15, destroyed 370 enemy planes l'or the loss of 104 of their own. Russ'ian planes on May 15 sank an enemy transport and a trawler. On the same day. the Soviet Air Force destroyed or damaged 60 lorries carrying troops and suoplies, and silenced 15 batteries. In the Kuban, Russian artillery and mortar-fire wrecked over 30 enemy pillboxes and dugouts, destroyed seven guns and 18 machine-gun nests. In one sector, two enemy infantry and tank attacks were repelled, and in the Lower Kuban an enemy attempt to cross the river was repulsed. Artillery and mortar duels are reported from the Volkhov front. Soviet partisans in the Smolensk area, in three days’ fighting, killed 400 Hitlerites. They also routed two garrisons and captured six machine-guns.