ACTIVITY IN AIR

Southland Times, Issue 25347, 26 April 1944, Page 5

ACTIVITY IN AIR

LULL ON LAND IN RUSSIA

MANY RAIDS BY RED AIR FORCE

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, April 24. Although German sources are stating that the lull has ended at Sebastopol and is about to end in the Narva and Pskov areas, also east of Vitebsk, reports from Moscow suggest that the war for the moment has moved from the land to the air with the Red Air Force softening up the German lines at many widely separated sectors. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says: Additional big guns are now placed in position in the hills around Sebastopol ready for the new assault which is imminent. Activity elsewhere is mainly confined to the Red Air Force. However another correspondent says that the lull at Sebastopol ended yesterday when Russian guns opened up and Russian planes again attacked. Military authorities in Moscow say that the Luftwaffe is maintaining its

strength on the Russian front, but the Red Air Force is doing better and is able to achieve superiority, in any desired sector. The spring thaw continues to hold up the war in the Carpathian foothills where both sides are moving up fresh forces. The Moscow newspaper, Pravda reports that torrents of water are pouring down the Carpathian valleys as the mountain snows melt, causing floods which threaten to sweep away Soviet pontoons. This adds to the complications of the operations in Rumania, making an offensive still more difficult. Berlin radio stated that strong Russian forces are massing in the Narva and Pskov areas and also east of Vitebsk and are regrouping in the more southern sectors from Kowal to Ovidiopul. The Times Moscow correspondent says that planes from both sides in Esthonia and the Western Ukraine are striking heavily against troop concentrations and supply lines in each other’s rear. Tonight the Soviet communique for the third successive day reports no material changes along the whole front. It adds that strong forces of Russian long-range planes last night, without loss, raided concentrations of German military railway traffic causing fires and explosions. Planes of the Black Sea Air Arm are continuously attacking German sea communications between Sebastopol and Rumanian ports. They sank seven enemy transports, totalling 16,000 tons with troops being evacuated and also sank a landing barge, a motor torpedo boat and three patrol vessels and damaged other ships.