The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-05-28
Titanic Air Battles Ad- mitted By Germans
 Against Bridgehead l50,OOO RED TROOPS
 PRESSING OFFENSIVE Both Reinforce Armies it Anticipation of Long,
 Fierce Battle
BY ROBERT MUSEL United Press Staff Correspondent

NOHheu fTcSS SLdII COrreSpOndenCD
 London, May 28. - (UP) - The Russians announced Titanic air battles over the Caucasus today, claiming that 131 enemy planes have been shot down in two days, and Axis broadcasts said that at least 150,000 Soviet troops were pressing a large-Scale ground offensive against the shrinking German bridgehead.
 A dispatch from Moscow said the Russians had reported the destruc- tion of 115 German planes in air naval base of Novorossisk Wednes. day and Thursday. Anti aircraf gunnerS were credited with account ing for Is other enemy planes, whil, Soviet losses were given as 33
 Though Moscow remained silen; on ground action in the Caucasus Axis reports said that reinforced Red army troops were assaulting tht northern end of the Caucasian bridgehead with renewed fury afte, Nazi counter attacks had restored most of the two square miles of ter, ritory yielded in the face of the mi. tial Soviet onslaught Wednesday,
 Todays German communicate sak that the Red army continued its larOn Ia oft arls S11,,r1nYtoA H1 tank and air formations, through out yesterday.
 'Bloodily Repulsed?"
 After fierce fighting. marked by vicissitude in which the luftwaffe deciSively assisted with strong forces the Soyiets were bloodily repulsed," tEe communique said.
 The Germans claimed to have de. Stroyed nearly one-third of the 200 planes and TO tanks with which the Russians launched their offensive early Wednesday, but acknowledged that vast Soviet endorsements were available.
 The Thursday midnight Russian communique said there was fighting III C4IC uA Ntl lIOl VIiCdoO OL 1NoNOl but the midday communique re- turned to the customary report that nothing of importance" had oc- cured anywhere along the long eastern front. The midday commu- nique added that Soviet warships and planes had sunk two self-pro- pelled enemy barges in the Black Sea.
 However, both the Germans and the Russians were known to have reinforced their armies in the Cau- believed imminent. The Soviets have been anxious to wipe out the Nazi bridgehead before the Germans could use it as a springboard for renewed drive toward the Maikop oil fields.
 Axis reports indicated that the Soviet offensive was aimed at Tenn ryuk and the Taman Peninsula, whose capture would cut of the German bridgehead army from its shortest sea route of reinforcement and supply across the Kerchenski Strait.
 The Nazi Paris radio said that the initial Russian attack carried IA miles into the German defenses on a front nearly two miles wide, but later German broadcasts claimed that savage Axis counter -thrusts re- gained the largest part of the evacuated territory
 Seventy one Russian planes were shot down and 6l tanks were de- stroyed in the fighting Wednesday and an additional 18 planes in the early hours of Thursday, the Ger man radio said, but the broadcast added significantly:
 Kerch Strait Destination
 Despite their heavy losses, re- ports available here Thursday eve indicate that continuation of the large-scale Soviet attack must be reckoned with since the Soviets have masSed such a large number of troops behind this sector that the Soviet commanders have probably not given up their plan of reach ing Kerch Strait at any cost"
 CContinued on Page A '- --------------------