NEW ATTACKS BY RED ARMY

Southland Times, Issue 24682, 2 March 1942, Page 5

NEW ATTACKS BY RED ARMY

FIGHTING ON MANY SECTORS GERMANS STILL HOLD STARAYA RUSSA (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 28. Staraya Russa is still in German hands but its capture is expected at any moment, says Moscow radio, which adds: The 16th German Army will be annihilated. Russian troops are inflicting one‘blow after another. The Germans failed in attempts to drop supplies for the encircled troops. A great part of the supplies fell into Russian hands. A Stockholm dispatch states that the destruction of the Germans at Staraya Russa is still uncertain. There is a large reservoir of German reserves in Estonia and Latvia and the enemy communications, along which the reserves are flowing, are superior to those of the Russians. A big battle is raging before Kharkov where the Russians have launched a big offensive. It is reported from Moscow that the Russians are advancing on the central front and have reoccupied three villages. German ersatz petrol and lubricating oil has frozen, immobilizing mechanized units and planes. Three German regiments were routed on the Donetz river, where the Russian pincers, east and west, has cut off a German salient which was holding up the Russian advance. The Red Army has launched a new attack on Kursk with the object of cutting off the Germans from Orel to Kharkov. Eight train loads of munitions and foodstuffs, each averaging 1500 tons, have reached Leningrad. Red Star claims that German casualties in killed, wounded and captured during the Russian counter-offensive have been over 1,000,000 monthly. AXIS TROOP MOVES An Ankara message states that heavy Axis troop movements to the Eastern front are being prepared. An announcement from Bucharest of the suspension of passenger traffic is believed to be a prelude to the passage of 800 military trains carrying 20 divisions across Rumania to Russia within the next 10 days. The enemy with the help of reserves, is counter-attacking in a number of sectors. The Nazis are evidently in a great hurry. They have begun to reinforce the attacks with tanks and aircraft without waiting for the spring, but the Red Army is inflicting heavy losses. WORK OF GUERRILLAS

Russian guerrillas in Leningrad province report, according to a Moscow message, that during the past six months they killed 491 Nazi officers, including two generals, and 10,480 men. They also killed 169 Gestapo agents, spies and traitors. The guerrillas also organized 64 train wrecks, resulting in the derailment of 700 coaches and wagons carrying troops, arms and am munition. They blew up five railway and highway bridges and destroyed 71 planes, 67 tanks, 35 field guns and 1322 lorries and buses.