New-York tribune., 1917-07-03
Russians Drive Foe from 3
Trench Lines and
Calician Town
Battle Raging on
40-Mile Front
Great Offensive Spreading
Northward Into
Volhynia

London, July 2.-Russia's young
Minister of War, Kerensky. led in per-
son the first attacks of the Russian
offensive in Easo Galicia. which al
ready has developed into one of the
most sanguinary general engagements
OF the war, and shows unmistakable
signs of extending at once over front
Of much greater magnitude.
The official report from Vienna de-
clares that the battle is raging over a
forty-mile front, with the Russians
attacking in their usual reckless way
ard advancing into hand-to-hand con-
flicts." A repulse of Brusilof's forces
is claimed over "the greater part of the
front"
New Russian attacks are reported
by Vienna near Zborow, due east Of
Lemberg, further north and in the
Stokhod salient. from which the Rus
SLAMS were driven with great loss
shortly after the revolution. II is
added that "a continuance of the bat
tie may be expected"
Thus far, despite the admittedly
heavy losses of the storming troops.
which numbered nearly 100000, the
Russian victory is acknowledged by
Berlin the first won by free Russia.
Over 10000 Germans, Austrians and
Turks, with l73 officers and Z cannon.
were taken on Sunday alone, and add-
tional captives are constantly stream
ing back 10 the cages behind the lines.
Berlin admits the loss of the forti-
/ fed village of Koniuchy, about eight
miles northeast of Brzezany, and the
, Teutons have been driven through
three systems OF trench defence back
! to new lines, which the Russians are
! attacking to-day.
The example of Kerensky. who is
coming to be known as the Savior OF
the Revolution" electrified the army,
and the troops followed him out of the
trenches cheering and singing.
kerensky Leads Attack
For the last four days Kerensky has
been with the soldiers at the front,
urging and exhorting them to strike
the waiting enemy. When the decisive
moment arrived Kerensky rode to the
forward trenches and gave the COM
mand to advance
The effect was instantaneous. Tho
spectacle struck the Imagination Of the
troops and accomplished in a moment
what even KeTensky's feryent oratory
had failed to do. The battle was on,
with huge masses Of Russians swarm
ing across No Mans Land upon the
German trenches.
According to the night official bulle-
tin from Berlin. fresh battles are de-
veloping further to the north. This is
presumably a reference 10 the region
OF tie upper Stokhod River, below the
Pripet marshes, lj0 miles beyond
Brzezany. The German dsy bulletin
declares that Russian attacks in force
broke down north Of the Koyel-Lutsk
railroad IN this sector According 10
Petrograd, these were strong recon
noiterlng assaults, which succeeded de-
spite the treachery Of two deserters,
who crossed over to the enemy lines
and gave advance information Of Bru-
sllof's plans.
kovel and Halicz Goals
1t is apparent that the Russian COM
mander IN chief is renewing his con-
centric pressure on the centre of the
Teuton line in the east. In the north
lis objective is the railroad nucleus
Of Koyel, in Volhynia; in the south il
IS Halicz, where no fighting has yet
been reported. though the Russians
las: fall drove TO the very outskirts Of
the city; and IN the centre il is Lem
berg, capital of Gslicia. The Russian
commanders strategy involves split
ting the Austro-German armies into
two parts, and it is clear that the drive
is 70 be pressed on fully as large
scale as the damaging offensive of last
summer and fall. But this drive starts
whore the other left of.
According 10 the German account OF
the actions around Brzezany, the con-
centrated Russian artillery volleys.
maintained at pitch Of drum fire FOR
forty-eight hours, reduced the Teuton
defences to "crater field" in which
it was impossible 10 make resistance.
This in itself testfies 10 the sufficiency
of the Russian she'll supply, the un-
certainty Of which in the past has been
one Of the principal causes of Russian
defeat.
The assault, over nearly twenty miles
of front, was delivered by sixteen di-
visions, which, if the Russian division
is maintained at its original strength.
would constitute an army of 28S 900
men. Berlin insists that the Russian
losses surpassed any hitherto known,
some units being entirely annihila,ed
Petrograd admits that the attackers
suffered great number Of casualties.
Fresh Troops Thrown In
But the storming waves were con-
tinually renewed by fresh troops, and
finally in the Koniuchy sector the de-
tenders were driven back through and
beyond the village into a previously
prepared barring" zone. In this sec
tor l64 officers and s,i00 men were
taken, and seven cannon with an equal
number OF machine guns, the Russian
pressing forward 10 the edge OF IN
koniuchy stream, south OF the village
The fighting south ard west Of Brzez-
any was also bitter The Russians
swept upon the defending positions aud