Evening star., 1943-04-02
Russians Recapture
More Towns North
OF Novorossisk
Bulk Of Soviet Action
On Long Front Occurs
Near Black Sea Coast
By the Associated Press.


MOSCOW, April 2.-Three
more villages have fallen to So
Wet troops closing about Novo-
rossisk and other German posi-
tions along the Black Sea coast,
the Russians announced today,
but elsewhere on the long front
only minor activity was reported
by the Soviet noon commu-
nique.
(The German communioue
broadcast today by the Berlin
radio and recorded by the Asso-
ciated Press, said the Russians
had launched a series of strong
attacks south of Lake Lado4a.
but that German firepower and
close-range fighting beat them
down in front of the Nazi lines.
(The Russian war bulletin
made no mention of this front,
which is close to the Finnish
border.
(The Germans declared the
Russians had lost 1857 planes
curing March,
Air Duels Continue.
The advance in the Kuban Valley
of the Caucasus last night followed
gains reported previously in the
midnight communique. Although
the direction of the advance was
not Immediately defined, it was be-
Heved to be in an area north OF
Novorossisk, with the Red Army
expanding its gains out of recap
tured Anastasevskaya, 80 miles
north Of the Black Sea port.
Air duels continued in the area,
the Russians asserting that nine
enemy planes were shot down and
three damaged when Soviet airmen
intercepted Nazi air force raid.
The Russians announced they
were consolidating positions north
east OF Smolensk in the drive for
that German base and that German
counterattacks were repulsed. A
company of German infantry was
wiped out in one sector, at least so
Germans were shot down as they
attempted to storm through the
wire about one recaptured position
in another sector and about 200 were
killed in engagements south Of Belly,
it was said.
The struggle for mastery Of
Donets River positions on an arc
east of Kharkov was marked last
night by the exchange of gunfire,
with heavy losses inflicted on en-
emy infantry attempting to attack,
the noon war bulletin said.
Russians Counterattack.
Russian counterattacks threw back
a German force in the Sevsk area,
ITO miles northwest of Kharkov. it
was said
(The Germans claimed a week
ago that they had captured
SevskD
Inc army newspaper, Red Star,
said the thaw which had slowed the
Russian advance in the Kuban VAL
ley had given the Germans time to
consolidate positions and to estab-
lish artillery and trench mortar
concentrations in flooded areas.
But, added the paper step after
step we crush the enemy -
1t said a sharp battle even now
was in progress along an unidentified
highway.
Supply Lines Open Despite Mud.
The entire Russian front was said
to resemble great slushy lake.
Melting SHOWS and fresh rains had
swollen creeks and rivers and con-
verted the steppes into expanses of
mud. but transportation drivers
worked night and day to keep the
supply lines open, 1t was said.
A Tass dispatch said that in some
sectors of the Smolensk district, Red
Army troops loosed showers of hand
grenades to smash the heavy barbed
wire entanglements erected by the
Germans.
On the western bank of the tribu-
tary to river east of Smolensk. Red
Star related. the Germans had con-
centrated artillery and mortars to
prevent crossings. The Russians laid
down an effective artillery barrage
to cover their crossing, captured the
opposite bank and began to expand
their foothold, it was said.