LITTLE PROGRESS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 253, 7 August 1941, Page 5

LITTLE PROGRESS

THE NEW GERMAN THRUST. MOST PRESSURE IN UKRAINE RUSSIANS REPORT SUCCESSES (United Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON, August G. The latest news from the eastern front suggests that the Germans are making little impression in their new thrusts against the right wing of Marshal Timoshenko’s army guarding the road to Moscow and against' the Russian forces under Marshal Budenny round Kiev. t To-day’s communique from Moscow again speaks of fighting in the direction of Kholm, about midway between Leningrad and Smolensk, and also' in the area of Smolensk and near Byelaya Tserkov, south-west' of Kiev. A reference to battles continuing in Estonia seems to dispose of German claims to have mopped up the Russians there. The German pincers movement in the Ukraine is believed to be their chief effort at the moment, but German claims of successes are still not confirmed by any reliable source. The Official German News Agency claims the Germans have captured Kholm, and the Finns claim considerable progress in the region of Lake Ladoga and also in the Suomussalmi sector, further north, but the Stockholm correspondent of “The Times” declares that the position on-the Finnish fronts is temporarily stable. Reports from Helsinki indicate that the Finns aim to reach a line where they can await progress by the German forces driving across Estonia, with a view to launching a joint attack against Leningrad. The Berlin, radio claimed yesterday that the Germans had captured Kiev. This claims, however, is in line with the German propaganda routine of “capturing” all towns in the Russian communiques. Excuses fou Slowing Down.

German propaganda continues to make excuses for the slowiiig-down of the German advance into Russia. It states that the German High Command is not much concerned with the time it takes to wear down Russian, resistance.

According to a supplementary communique issued in Moscow, the German lGth Motorised Division, after several attempts to pierce the Soviet front line in-the north-west direction, was finally forced to retreat, leaving 1500 killed or wounded, and also GO machine-guns, 12 other guns, 16 flamethrowers, and nine anti-tank guns. A German infantry regiment near Korosten was smashed by a determined Soviet counter-attack. More than 300 Germans were killed or wounded, and many -were taken prisoner, including the regiment’s commander.

The German losses are so heavy that even the reserves or regular troops are rapidly becoming exhausted. Oldclass reservists and youths aged 16 to 17 are now being used in many sectors. In one sector junior cadets from the Berlin Cadet School participated in the fighting. Many surrendered.

An earlier Russian communique states that the Red Air Force had caused heavy losses to German mechanised and infantry units. In raids on enemy aerodromes the Russians claimed to have shot own or destroyed on the ground 53 German aircraft.

The Moscow correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” quotes a statement by Count Aleksey Tolstov, who is in touch with Government circles, 'that the Red Army in a week of particularly heavy fighting, smashed five German divisions and also a column of 300 tanks which were destroyed to the last machine.

Marshal Budenny, the Soviet Com-mander-in-Chief in the Ukraine, in a proclamation calls on the Russians in the territory occupied by the Germans to band together in guerilla units and carry out fully M. Stalin’s “scorched earth” policy. Those capable of hearing arms should join partisan units, organise new detachments, destroy the Nazi dogs, overturn trains, and blow lip dumps,” he %aid. “Do not allow an ounce of bread to reach the enemy. Harvest exactly as much as you need and destroy the remainder. The hour l of victory is approaching.” •German Supply Train® Destroyed. The Moscow radio says that a collective farmers’ unit operating near a German-occupied town has destroyed two German supply trains and six fuel trains in six days. A Zurich report says the Royal Air Force dropped pamphlets on Berlin on Saturday night declaring that the Russians are still capable of a long resist”ance and will soon be launching effective counter-offensives. The Moscow newspaper “Pravda” states that the Germans are. using 170 divisions on the eastern front, including armoured and mechanised units. German military headquarters, according to Ankara reports, do not believe that victory can be achieved until next spring. Dr! V. Gayda, the Italian publicist, writing in the “Giornale d’ltalia,” states that the extent of the Russian reserves is still unknown to the Germans. German aeroplanes again raided Moscow last night. Five were, destroyed. Some penetrated the outer defences and bombed private property, but Moscow reports say that no fires were caused. The Stalin motor works, the largest in Moscow, are said to have been destroyed in a German air attack, but this report is denied in Moscow. Foreign correspondents have been invited to visit the works.