THE RUSSIAN FRONT.

Southland Times, Issue 17784, 13 July 1916, Page 4

THE RUSSIAN FRONT.

The critical point to watch Just now on the Russian front is Kovel. Here the Russian advance is opposed by the strongest resistance that the Austrians and Germans combined are capable of making under present conditions, and, as we have already pointed out, the issue of the struggle for Kovel will give us a line as to the prospects of a successful Russian offensive on a large scale this summer. The defence of Kovel has been very stubborn, and the Russian advance correspondingly slow. The approach to Kovel from the east is guarded by three rivers—the Goryn, Styr, and Stokhod, in that order. Each of these obstacles gives the enemy facilities for defence, and the Russians have won their way slowly along the K3ef-Kovel railway line by dint of hard fighting. North of the railway progress has been more rapid than to the south of it Although the latent news is not so clear as one could wish we gather from it that north of the railway at some points on the lower Stokhod the Russians are across the river, while south of the railway they are certainly still fighting on the Styr. However, the success of the flanking movement of Brussiloff’s right wing, will turn the Kovel position and compel the enemy on the Styr to the south of the railway to fall back across the Stokhod. The pervading tone of the Petrograd communiques is one of confidence, while that of the German Command so far as we may judge from reports received through neutral channels is one of anxiety and despondency. The Russians are undoubtedly in great strength. They have made a truly remarkable recovery from the severe handling they received last summer. Their armies arc more numerous, better equipped and better supported by artillery than they have ever been before, and the comments of the official German Press show that the enemy now gives the Russians a much higher status as a formidable opponent. Should Kovel be taken and the battleground shifted to the great Lublin province of Poland the Russian offensive will begin to show out on a scale comparable to that of Von Hindenburgand Von Mackensen last summer .