Evening star., 1942-08-08
Nuzis Also Score
Advance Toward
StoIingrod
p ttt Associated Press.

MOSCOW, Aug. 8.-German
columns are smashing at the ap-
proacfes of the Maikop oil fields,
first major goal OF their Cau-
casus drive, from both the north
and east after a major break
through in Red Army defenses,
and the situation is very tense"
front-line dispatches said today.
The army newspaper Red Star
said Soviet defenders had made
heroic but unsuccessful attempt to
stem the Nazi tide in the loop of
the Kuban River above Maikop, in
the Armavir area and east of Kras-
nodar.
Krasnodar is As miles northwest
of Maikop at point where the Ku-
ban curves northward and Armavir
Is so miles northeast, at the bottom
Of the rivers loop.
At no place, however. have the
Germans been reported here as
crossing the Kuban. (The German
high command today claimed cap
ture of Armavir, on the west bank
of the Kuban, and Kurgannaya, on
the Laba River 80 miles farther east,
thus implying broad crossing of
the Kuban)
The dispatches also made no men
ton of what the Russians intended
to do should the invaders more
closely approach the Maikop oil
fields, but previously the Red Army
has sought to destroy everything of
possible value to the enemy before
withdrawing from valuable posi-
tions.
Gravity Of Situation Stressed.
Red Star itself emphasized the
gravity of the situation faced by the
Russian forces as German troops
pounded closer to the derrick dotted
Maikop fields, which produce per
cent of Russia's oil supply.
The midday communique said of
the overnight action: Our troops
fought the enemy in the area of
Kletskaya CTS miles northwest of
Stalingrad), to the north of Kotel
nikovski (95 miles southwest of
Stalingrad) and Armavir and south
OF Kuschevka."
With the fighting spreading to the
north of Kotelnikovski, the Ger
mans thus were matching their
Caucasus gains with push that
brought them closer to Stalingrad,
but the extent of their progress
toward the big Volga steel center
was not disclosed.
SWarms of German tanks and au-
tomato riflemen were reported stab
bing into Red Army ranks in the
Armavir area while Nazi planes
dive bombed and strafed the hard
put Soviet defenders fighting gal
lantly under great odds.
Breaks Through.
The Germans moved on Armavir
after one break-through below
Belaya Glina, some IS miles to the
north, and another below Kush-
chevka.
Spurred by these successes, the
Nazis threw still more tanks ano
bombers into the action as they
hammered their way southwark
toward the Kuban.-
Red Star said serious situation
had developed in the Armavir dis
trict. 1t reported that in one sector
the Nazis knitted into the Russian
positions, forcing the defenders bacl
to new lines.
Don and Kuban Cossacks bore tht
burden Of massive enemy attacks
south of Kushchevka and at one
place the attackers broke through
The Cossacks reached new lines ane
Warded of subsequent assaults.
The Soviet communique said Rus.
slams fighting German groul
which broke through in the Armavi
area destroyed II enemy tanks ant
48 trucks.
Tanks Declared Stopped.
On the northern wing of the Ger
man Drive on Stalingrad, counter
attacking Red units were credite'
with occupying populated place
while in another sector l,500 Ger
mans were reported killed in thre
days. There the Russians said the
were stopping German tanks wit
point blank artillery fire.
In the Don River elbow Red Sta
said both sides captured and los
several populated points in shiftin
and violent battles.
Below Voronezh, at the norther
end of the blazing front, the com
muniQue said Soviet forces whic
crossed the Don had captured se'
eral additional points.
Brisk fighting Of a local natul
broke out on the Leningrad frol
and in the Bryansk sector, 200 mil'
southwest of Moscow, the con
munique said, resulting in the killir
of $50 Germans and destruction
10 tanks.