VALUABLE AREAS SOVIET BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 August 1942, Page 3

VALUABLE AREAS

SOVIET BLOWS

LOST BY THE RUSSIANS OTHERS IN PERIL SUPERHUMAN RESISTANCE. NEEDED TO KEEP GERMANS FROM MAIKOP. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, August 3. The Russians have already lost heavily in resources in recentlycaptured territory, while very valuable areas are under an extreme threat from the Nazis. The American Associated Press correspondent at Moscow says that it will take superhuman Russian resistance to keep the Germans from the Maikop oil area. The Germans have advanced at least 100 miles south-eastward of Rostov during the nine days since Rostov fell. “The Tinies” diplomatic correspondent points out that the North Caucasus has 500,000 acres of cotton land which will be a special prize for the Germans if they reach it, also 12,500,000 acres of wheatland. The dam which the Germans claimed to have captured in the Proletarskaya region probably is one built in recent years to feed the canal linking the Don and the Caspian Sea, and also to irrigate 450,000 acres between the Manich River and the Caspian.

ENEMY DRIVEN BACK IN SOME AREAS TACTICAL POSITIONS RETAKEN ATTACKS BEiHIND GERMAN LINES

TENSE POSITION IN DON ELBOW

(By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, April 4.

The Russians in the Kletskaya sector have driven back the Germans at a number of points and recaptured tactically important positions. Russian units swept in behind the enemy, destroyed detachments protecting supply lines and cut roads in the south and south-west which the Germans were using to bring up reinforcements and supplies. The situation at the approaches to one of the most important Russian bridgeheads in the Don Elbow remains tense. The Germans are attacking from several sides, using large tank and infantry forces and many planes. One large German tank force here is immobilised and encircled. Russian bombers are pounding the encircled Germans and attacking the approaches to the area to prevent the arrival of reinforcements and supplies.

A Russian communique reports bloody battles in the Kuchenskaya area, where the Germans several times attempted to force the river, but were beaten back with heavy losses.