RUSSIAN PRESSURE

Grey River Argus, 1 June 1943, Page 5

RUSSIAN PRESSURE

Kept up in Far South

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable Ansn.l LONDON ,May 30. Moscow radio stated: A new Soviet army of four million men is moving into line. The new army has completed severe training after many months and is equipped with new weapons. Marshals Budenny and Voroshilov have trained the new forces, added the radio. Offensive preparations by both sides in Russia have reached such a stage of completeness that there are now indications that a German offensive on the central front and Russian drives from Leningrad, the Donetz, and Rostov may be launched simultaneously. On the central front German concentrations are massing ready to strike at Moscow in a new attempt to split the Russian armies Russian forces based oh Leningrad appear to be preparing to advance with the intention of threatening German positions on the central front, and possibly sweeping through to Baltic States. Soviet armies in the Donetz and at Rostov are initiating a further development of a drive which was carried out successfully in the Winter offensive Leningrad and the Kuban delta, the most northern and southern extremities of the 1600-mile Russian front, are the scenes of the latest fighting, which is not on a large scale. Moscow reports say the Germans at the week-end made day and night raids on Leningrad. Russian lighters and anti-aircraft batteries destroyed 20 raiders. The Germans also backed up t’heir air attacks with a renewed artillery barrage, hurling shells into already battered Leningrad. The city’s defence force, however, stoutly clung to their positions and returned the barrage with interest. The Germans continue to give the bulk of the news of the Kuban operations, which is still the most active sector. The Berlin radio says that the operations there cannot be described as a major battle, but could develop Into one. Moscow maintains its silence on the Kuban fighting, but the Axis radios to-night declare the Red Army, forcing its way through the marshy country of the Taman Peninsula, is engaged in a major move to outflank the Germans in the Kuban defences. The Paris radio says: “The Kuban battle has taken on a new character in the past 48 hours. The Russian attacks towards Novorossisk have ceased, but important fighting is occurring east of Krymskaya, where the Red Army has a ten-to-one superiority. The Prussians have made landing attempts in the lagoon area around Temryuk in order to turn the German defences.” The Berlin radio admitted that one German base at Temryuk has been encircled, but .claimed that a counter-attack had freed It. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent reports savage and intense air battles over the Kuban front and says that 40 to 50 air battles are occurring daily. The Germans ar e rushing troops to the. Kuban by all available ports, and running the gauntlet of ceaseless air attacks by naval Stormoviks. says a Moscow message. In recent actions, Soviet airmen sank five large troop barges, a tugboat and transport, all en route to Anapa. Despatches suggest that the Germans in the Kuban must be m a tight corner if they persist in using this hazardous route for the transport of reinforcements. The Moscow correspondent of the British’ United Press reports that, the Germans have lost 113 aeroplanes m fierce battles during the last two days north-east of Novorossisk. Russian aeroplanes were also active against German transports in the Black Sea. Great air battles are continuing north-east of Novorossisk, where on Thursday 54 German aircraft were shot down by Russian fighters. Antiaircraft batteries accounted for 12 more, making a total of 66 lost in the day. The Russians lost 26 aircraft. Russian aircraft are also keeping up their bombings of the German rear all along the front. Yesterdav three railway junctions on the east to west supply line round Bryansk were selected as particular targets. Transport, trains, munition dumps, and troop concentrations were attacked and in one locality two trains were seen to blow up. All the Russian aircraft returned.

RUSSIANS BOMB ENEMY TRANSPORT.

(Rec. 9.5) LONDON, May 31. A special Soviet communique stated: Last night, -strong forces of

Soviet long-range aircraft, only, one of which is missing, attacked a railway junction at Gomel and a station at Karachev. Trains and art^ depots were plastered with bombs. Fires destroyed many trains, while others were burnt out. Especially heavy} explosions were caused in an artillery depot at Karachev.

GERMANY’S HEAVY LOSS OF PLANES.

(Rec 9.51) RUGBi, May 31. The Soviet in its ordinary communique on Sunday night reported a continuation of fighting north-eastward of Novorossisk. It also recorded the destruction during the week-ended May 29 of 456 German planes for the loss of 118 Russian planes. It added that in the Barents Sea an enemy transport was sunk.