Petrograd, Jan. 27. The Russians continue to make gradual progress on the Galician and Bukovina front. The presence of the Russians at the bridgehead at Usechko show: advanced eight miles along Dniester since Niaptueie and Dab-raff five days ago. Last week the Russian line northeast of Czernowitz moved southwards and is now north of Bayan where the Rus sian fire repulsed the enemy's attacks delivered after exploding three mines.
Jan. 27.
According to a statement made by German and Austrian prisoners taken on the Bukovina front, the Austrians, believing the Russians incapable of an effectual resistance, had prepared for a long time for an invasion of Bessarabia, The military critic of the "Recht" suggests that the Austrians hoped to force an active ce-operation of the Rumanians, who, in the event of the Austrian operations achieving success, would have been in position to force a retirement of the Russian forces by an envelop-
endangering the latter's lines of ment of the Russian extreme a communications.
The Russian initiative on the whole front in Galicia and Bukovina upset the Austrian plans and Mar. shal von Mackensen's army in the Balkans, instead of resting prior to a prosecution of the operations against Salonika, was obliged post haste to reinforce the Austrian armies in Galica and Bukovina.
This well-timed Russian blow not only prevented the Austrian scheme from drawing Rumania but also broke the continuity of the ope tions in the Balkans at the moment of the evacuation of Gallipoli.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.