DRIVE SOUTH OF LENINGRAD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 270, 27 August 1941, Page 5

DRIVE SOUTH OF LENINGRAD.

HEAVY RAIN FALLS ON FRONT.

WITHDRAWAL FROM NOVGOROD,

(United Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON, August 26.

Apart from the Soviet High Command’s announcement that Russian forces have withdrawn from Novgorod, 100 miles south of Leningrad and 50 miles west of the Leningrad-Moscow railway, reports from both sides do not suggest any substantial change on the Eastern Front yesterday.

It is not yet clear whether the Germans intend to move from Novgorod towards Leningrad or against the Moscow-Leningrad railway. The Germans speak of tightening their ring round Tallinn, the main city of Estonia, but it is expected that the Russians will put up a stubborn fight, for Tallinn is an important base for operations in the Baltic Sea. The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says that Marshal Budenny’s forces are no longer purely on the defensive along the lower Dnieper. The Germans, he says, are being severely hit by counter-attacks. He adds that Russian flank attacks from Estonian bases are crippling the Germans attempting to advance towards Leningrad from Kingisepp.

Difficulties for the Invaders.

i The Moscow correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that heavy rain drenched northern Russia during the week-end, converting the battle field into what a British general described as an excellent imitation of marmalade.

Reuter’s Moscow correspondent also speaks of heavy rain. If the rain continues it may have an enormous effect in slowing down German operations. Main roads are not numerous, and secondary roads are already boggy. In these conditions, he adds, German tanks will find difficulty in going across country, either in the soft soil of the Ukraine or the marshy land round Leningrad. The Wilhelmstrasse (German Foreign Office) claims that Leningrad is now under artillery fire, but this is not supported by any other source. It ad : mits that the Russian Air Force is putting up stiff resistance. It also says tfiat the Germans have shortened and straightened their front south of Lake Itinlin and that the line round Tallinn, the Estonian capital, has been contracted.

Claims by the Finns

The Finns also claimed, to have closed in more in the Wiipuri sector, on the Karelian Isthmus. Some reports say that Suojarvi, north-east of the tip of Lake Ladoga, has been captured, thus opening a way to the railway near Lake Onega, between Leningrad and the Arctic port of Murmansk. The danger on the approaches to Leningrad is reflected at every street corner of the city, which is fully prepared to smash the enemy with a decisive blow. The .slogan of the people is that Fascism will never pass. 1

Other reports indicate that the, factories in the city have never worked so hard before. Many workers have remained at their benches for 48 hours without a spell.

The Germans have at last admitted the heavy counter-attacks launched by General Koniev in the central sector. They admit that the Russians made a big tank attack, supported by artillery, against German infantry, stating that eight attacks in all were made in which the Russians lost 120 tanks. All attacks were repulsed, the Germans claim.

The Germans add that they then thrust deeply into the Russians’ lines.

Battle on the Dnieper.

In spite of heavy German pressure in the Ukraine, there is still no indication that Marshal von Rundstedt’s troops yet hold territory east of the Dnieper. i

Battles for the vital Dnieper bridgeheads continue unabated, and there is no slackening in the Russian resistance where the Germans are attempting to approach to the crossing between Cherkasy and the lower Dnieper.

The Berlin correspondent of a Swedish newspaper states that the Germans have shortened their line between Homel and Kiev. The correspondent states that the Germans claim a slow but deliberate advance all along the front, and that they have attacked the big Ukrainian power station in the industrial area on the Dnieper bend.

It is, however, not clear whether the Germans have approached close to Dnepropetrovsk, although the Bei’lin radio claims that it is within reach of the advanced troops. There is no news of Odessa.

There are two stories of the war in the Baltic. The Russians claim that the Baltic Fleet has sunk four German transports carrying troops and munitions. The Germans have retailated with a claim that German mines in the Baltic have sunk six Russian vessels, three merchantmen, two minesweepers, and one destroyer.