RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE AGAINST AUSTRIA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2800, 19 June 1916, Page 5

RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE AGAINST AUSTRIA

" ' • • • MORE PRISONERS CAPTURED REPORTED EVACUATION OF CZERNOWITZ > (-By, Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). m, London, Jcne 16. I'he Daily lelegraph s' correspondent at Petrograd states that General Letohitslcy's troops have surrcuhded Czernowitz on .three sides. The tardiness of the enemy in evacuating the town is due to a" desire to remove important stores. ■ .' . ■' The Russian advance'in the Tarnqpol district is not. being pressed at present, because a development of the successes' northward and southward will compel a withdrawal from Tarnopol. Acceptance of battle is more or less open. ■V, .• , Athens, lune IG. Bucharest reports that Czernowitz has been evacuated. rn , ' . ~ Petrograd, June 17. , The Russian siiccesses continue. A further 14,000 prisoners have been taken. AUSTRO-GERMANS TAKE UP NEW POSITIONS. Copenhagen, June 16. . German newspapers etnte that the Russians, after three hours' bombardment, destroyed strong Austro-German lines north of Bavanovitch. : Fifty thousand Russians attacked, but, advancing overfar, were compelled to • fall back two miles. • The newspaper adds: "The Anstro-Germans axe now strongly reinforced, and have taken" rap ' new positions." ' , FIGHTING WITH UNPARALLELED SEVERITY. ' • . Zurich, June IG. Correspondents at Austrian headquarters report that the fighting north of Baranovitoh has developed with -unparalleled severity. • MENDACITY OF AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL STATEMENTS. s Paris, June 16. Newspapers in Vienna are forbidden to publish the Russian communiques. •The public is without news, except that contained in the Austrian communiques, which affirm that the Austro-Hungarian losses are small and the Russian overwhelming and increasing. The influx of refugees from Leintag is interpreted as showing that the official statements are mendacious. HUSSIONS USE JAPANESE GUNS AND JAPANESE SHELLS. Rome, June 16. 'The: newspapers state from a Russian source that the effectiveness of the Russian artillery in the present offensive is due to the use'of great Japanese guns and Japanese shells,, chargt-d with sew explosive, the destrnctiveness of which surpasses all expectations. :THE STRUGGLE ON THE WEST BANK OF THE STRYPA. (Rec. June 17, 5.5. p.m.) ' , Petrograd, Juno IG. A Russian communique says: The heroic effort of the troops under General Stcherbatcheff overthrew the Austrians in the Guilovody district. The struggle on the'west bank of the Strypa and north-west of Buczanza continues. We havi already captured.6ix thousand prisoners. . Our artillery in the Dvinsk region prevented the enemy taking the offensive in several sectors. ANOTHER 5000 PRISONERS AND GUNS AND RIFLES CAPTURED ' . (Rec. June 17, 7.30 p.m.) ; \ Petrograd, June 17. A Russian communique says: Fightiing continues south of Polessie. The enemy has suffered heavy losses. We took 1750 prisoners during a powerful but fruitless oounter-attack. by the enemy in tho Styr region, near Hokul. Cavalry continues the pursuit, of the enemy west and south-west of Lusk. General Sakharoff's troops, after desperate fighting, dislodged the enemy from a fortified position on the River Plwichevka. One of our young regiments'forded the river with the Water lip to the chins. One company was engulfed and died an heroic death, but the valour of their comrades resulted in a disorderly flight, of the enemy, of whom five thousand were made prisoners, and many machine guns and thousands of riSes captured. , RUSSIA'S NEW SOURCE OF AMMUNITION SUPPLY. (Rec. June 18, 5.5 p.m.) Petrograd, June 17. An official, asserts that the ammunition captured in the present offensive will suffice for the entire army for several weeks. GENERAL MACKENSEN'S NEW COMMAND HINDENBURG OUT OF FAVOUR WITH THE KAISER. (Rec. June 18, 5.5 p.m.) Petrograd, June 17. General Mackonsen has been appointed to command tho Germans south of the Dvinsk. This indioates that the ltaiser no longer placcs implicit confidence in General Hindcnburg. General Mackenson will control Hindenburg's right wing, also tho entire group of Anstro-Germans under Prince Leopold of Bavaria, holding the front from the River Niemen to Polessie. Military critics oomment ironically that tho Germans sent General Ludendorf, Chief of the Staff of the northern armies, to assist tho Austrians, remarking that this solitaiy officer, however talented, was a poor substitute for the tons of thousands of bayonets the Austrians are in dire need of.

Tho Germans dare not. seriously weaken tho northern. front, tut have sent some troops southwards. The Brat German reinforcements to urrive were a division or Guards, who made a desperato endeavour to arrest the Russian advance from Lusk, tat failed, suffering heavily. SIBERIANS BRILLIANTLY CARRY A VILLAGE RUSSIANS BOMBARDING THE DVINSK POSITIONS. (Rec. June 18, 11 p.m.) Petrograd, June 18. A Russian communique says: "In order to arrest our advance towards Lemberg, the ememy has been reinforced by elements from other fronts, and is making at many points furious counter-attacks against General Brusiloff. "Tho enemy's offensive at Gadomitohe, westward of lColke, was repulsed, and the Russians, pressing the pursuit, pierced the defences on the northern bank of the Styr. "In, the oourse of a hot engagement at Stokhod, the Siberians brilliantly oarried the village of Svidniki, while the Hussars of White Russia., supported by horse artillery, charged through three extended lines, sabring two Austrian companies. We occupied Radziviloff, and pushed the enemy towards Brody. • 'The enemy on the entiro Strypa battlefield on Friday was in flight, and was thrown into the utmost oonfusion by our salvoes. The Germans and Austrians were intermingled, and were falling in hundreds. Several brigades of our batteries at full gallop occupied open positions, and fired point-blank at the fugitives. Their dash was irresistible. Fighting is fierce in the Gaivaronlta district of the Strypa. The enemy is furiously attacking the Sniatyn railway. An enemy column has been thrown across the river Toheriaava. . "We are bombarding Dvinsk positions with visible success. 'A MILD GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. (Rec. Juno 18, 11 p.m.) Amsterdam, June 18. A German communique says:'"Fighting has developed in the Stokhod-Styr sectors against General Linsingen's positions. General Bothmor 'is battling northward of Przevlbka." RUSSIANS NEARING A VITAL RAILWAY CENTRE (Rec. June 18, 11 p.m.) Petrograd, June 18. The Russian;!thrust at Radziviloff has reached Potcliasoff, oight miles south and eastward, anil represents an advance of ten miles. The Russians at Stokhod are within twenty-five miles of ICovel, a vital railway centre, through which German reinforcomsnts are Muring southwards. , . The fighting Przevlota, northwmyls of Buczacz, is important, Tiecauso it is within twelve miles of the strategic railway of Podhaice to Lemberg. CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE EMPER.OR OP JAPAN. (Rec. June 18, 11 p.m.) Petrograd, June 18. A Russian communique says: "The Emperor of Japan has congratulated tha Tsar on the glorious victory in Galicia." ENEMY FALLING BACK TO A STRONGLY DEFENDED LINE (Rec. June 18, 11.25 p.m.) Petrograd, June 18. The enemy liorfjiward of Lemberg is falling back to the strongly defended line of Vladimir Vofynsk-Sokal-Stoyonoff, to whore tlio Gormans are hunting reinforcements. The Russians are advancing towards Leiuberg on both sides of the Dubno-Lemberg railway. Their storming of three miles of formidable positions along the flooded river Pliashevkft, a tributary of the Styr, flanked by a 6eries of ten lakes, and supported by fire from the heights in tho rear, was a wonderfully fine feat, which, with the cagturo of tho Eostok forest) southward of tho Lower Potehaieff, decides the fate ofTEe whole Kromenetz region. In order to escape General SayharofT's northern and southern claws, the enemy hastily retreated westwards towards Rrody, leaving anothor section of tho Lemberg railway in Russian hands. , Correspondents eulogiso tho gallantry of Russian officers, who aro invariably in the forefront of thje attacks, while tho colour-bearers headed soirw of the fiercest and most saiißuinary charges against tho Lusk. defences. The evacuation, oi; Lnek was a panic-stricken flight. Infantry, cavalry, guns and hospital supply trains "wero inextricably mixed up, all struggling in the absence of orders towards Torehin. A portion of the mass took the Charukoff Road, but quickly retreated on learning that the Russians had enveloped Lusk from the south. The Russian armoured car detachment before Lusk dashed through gun, machinei gun, and rifle fire, broke tho enemy's line, and soattered the reservos, enabling the infantry to occupy tho trenches and enter the-town almost without, casualties. Several Frenoh prisoners employed in building officers' summer barraoks at Styr were rescued. The battle' north-westward of Buczacz covers twelve miles of front. The Austrb-Germans are evacuating the towns and villages southward of.Pripet. The left bank of the Pripet is strongly fortified. 1 The region of Czeraowitz is tho scene of furious fighting. Tho town is almost demolished, but $ie enemy is still clinging to the suburbs.. Tho Russians have nearly surrounded: them, interposing a barrier preventing tho garrison functioning with the Austrians in Bukovina. Two • German _corps aro hastening to Galicia and two Bulgarian divisions towards Bukovina. 'The Austrians near Alyka have abandoned a badly damaged armoured train.