FIERCE FIGHTING IN SMOLENSK SECTOR

Southland Times, Issue 24499, 29 July 1941, Page 5

FIERCE FIGHTING IN SMOLENSK SECTOR

ACTIVITY OF RUSSIAN AIR FORCE (United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, July 28. Fierce fighting in the Smolensk sector is reported in the latest Russian communique. Vigorous operations are being undertaken by the Red Air Force, which has again bombed oil objectives in the battered Rumanian port of Constanta.

Russian headquarters claim that the Germans are being held in the Neval and Jitomir sectors. On Saturday, it was stated, the Red Air Force enjoyed its most successful day so far, destroying 104 planes for the loss of 12. Moscow was not raided last night and it is evident that the raids on Leningrad, Moscow and Kiev have not been as successful as was hoped by the Germans. It is stated in London that it is obvious that the Royal Air Force activity in the West has forced Hitler to withdraw part of the Luftwaffe from the Eastern Front.

Flung impatiently ahead of the tangled battlefields on which the Germans have got nowhere worth mentioning for days, ■ aerial armadas are striving to reintroduce the blitzkrieg into the German invasion of Russia and the Red Air Force is replying with weight. Indicating the extent of air activity, although grossly exaggerating the Russian losses, Berlin sources claim the destruction of hundreds of Soviet planes within the last two days. According to the Moscow radio the Luftwaffe, which is sending hundreds of planes in waves against Moscow and Leningrad, is suffering heavy losses and achieving little. The Izvestia describes a Soviet attack

on German advanced aerodromes. Fighters first attacked them, setting fire to Junkers and Messerschmitts. Then Soviet bombers joined in and the crews in' the last wave counted 30 planes on the ground on fire while another 20 were riddled with bullets and out of action. Soviet fighters paralysed the anti-aircraft fire. The raid lasted several hours, but no German plane succeeded in taking off and the aerodrome was finally destroyed. Moscow radio claimed that the German High Command admitted that the fighting front had been stabilized in the last few days and this had given both parties a respite, which the Soviet had put to better account than the Germans.