Evening star., 1943-04-14
Air Fighting Continue,
On Large Scale Over
Many Soviet Sectors
Main Ground Battles
South Of BoIokIeyo and
North Of VoIkhov Front
Nv the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, April 14.-While no
essential changes took place on
the RuSsian-German front today,
la-ge-scale air activity continued
in many sectors, the aerial oper-
ations including everything from
scouting to heavy bombing.
In these mounting air battles of
spring there is good reason to believe
United States planes-fown by So
Wet pilots-are taking part in many
operations.
The main centers Of ground fight
ing in Russia were south of Bala-
kleya and from the Volkhov front
northward.
South of Balakleya, the Germans
swung considerable numbers against
Soviet bridgeheads, but again failed
to capture objectives.
Fierce Battle on Donets.
In the last hours of the battles,
the Russians killed 200 of the enemy,
bringing the total to 300 in "a hours
in this sector.
Also south of the Balakleya. Red
Army scouts during the night broke
into q German-held town, presum-
ably on the western side of the
Donets River, and killed 40 Ger
mans. Battles in this sector off,
cially were described as fierce"
On the Volkhov front, southeast
of Leningrad, the Russians heavy
artillery shelled a German position,
smashing up some batteries and
mortars Russian guns in the last "a
hours have blown up Is dugouts
and pillboxes in this area.
The noon communique reported
nothing fresh from the Leningrad
front where the Germans in one
sector attacked with tanks all day
yesterday.
Attacks May Be Feints.
These sudden attacks in the north
are hard to explain at present. There
is no indication yet that they are
the forerunner Of any large-scale
German offensive but they are per-
sistent and sharp, and air raids on
Leningrad preceded them. The Red
Army is well aware that these at
tacks in the Leningrad and Volk-
hov sectors could be feints to draw
the attention Of the command here
as the enemy prepares to strike else
where.
Too many times in the past the
Germans have tried this kind of ma
neuver. and Of late it has not been
succeeding.
The Red Army has a deep, strong
front nowadays, with mobile units
capable Of shifting up and down the
country, meeting the heaviest kind
Of thrusts. The push against the
northern Donets line has been one
of the best examples.
The Germans may be expected to
begin more heavy attacks within
the next two or three weeks.
Definitely they have been bringing
up soldiers and materials of war in
many sectors.
Heavy Artillery Barr2Ee.
The army's Official newspaper, Red
Star. said that in one sector of the
Volkhov front the Germans opened
up daily with q heavy artillery bar
| rage and then sent over their bonn
bers between gun bombardments
Soviet fighter planes met them in
hot battle and there was brisk in
fantry fighting, but the battle line
remained unchanged.
In one case the Germans managed
to wedge into Soviet positions, but
Russian reserves poured into the
breach, Struck at the NAzis' f1anks
in q narrow sector, and then sur
rounded and exterminated . large
group, Red Star said.
In the face Of growing air activity
the Moscow afternoon papers edi-
torially cautioned the citizens to be
on guard constantly against air
raids. The Moscow radio Is making
short announcements on air-raid
precautions.
The radio also told the Russians
Of the Red Army aviation's second
recent raid on Koenigsberg.