EVERYWHERE DANGEROUS

Evening Star, Issue 24284, 27 August 1942, Page 5

EVERYWHERE DANGEROUS

GERMANS DETERMINED TD CUT VOLGA ARTERY (Rec. 1.50 p.m.l LONDON, Aug. 26. The general situation before Stalingrad and in the Caucasus has not improved. The most dangerous threat to Stalingrad at present is from the northwest, the Russians having checked the German push north-east of Kotelmkovo. _ The most promising Russian news comes from the fronts north-west and west of Moscow, where a surprise (Russian counter-attack pushed back the Germans (this refers to the same' advance as described in to-day’s wireless). The Moscow radio in a special announcement declared that the Russians took the offensive in the Kalinin front, broke through 30 to 40 miles, and reoccupied over 600 inhabited _ places They routed seven German infantry divisions and also two motorised and one tank division. Fierce fighting is proceeding on the outskirts of Rjev. This offensive is interpreted as part of the Russian general strategy of attrition rather than a plan for the_ immediate relief of Stalingrad, but it is likely to prevent the Germans from over-running the Volga city’s defences with reinforcements drawn from these northern fronts.

The manner in which the Germans are rushing Stalingrad from three directions indicates their determination to take the city and cut the Volga artery before the Russians rally or a second front is opened elsewhere. The Russians’ counter-attacks may also divert some of the _ Luftwaffe strength at present pounding against Stalingrad’s defences, war factories, and river traffic.