TROOPS MASSING IN BALKAN STATES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 245, 15 October 1940, Page 8

TROOPS MASSING IN BALKAN STATES.

VERGE OF ERUPTION?

Reports Indicate Growth Of

Grave Tension

United Press Association.—Copyright. (Reed. 2.30 p.m.) LOXDON, Oct. 14. Troops of many nations are concentrating in the Balkans. Shiploads of Italians are being transported across the Adriatic from Bari and Brindisi to Durazzo and Valona. j Turkey has concentrated 400.000 [ troops on her Bulgarian border, j Messages from Athens reflect Greek alarm at the German and Italian moves lin the Balkans. Greece fears an Axis pincers movement from Albania and Bulgaria. Italians in Greece have been warned to leave immediately. Messages referring to Russian troop concentrations on the Balkans border (reports the correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain) says that civilians have been evacuated from Ccrnauti. Three hundred Russian fighter planes have arrived in Bukovina, where j many new hangars have been built. J The Soviet is also reported to be constructing new aerodromes, in Bessarabia, where twelve Russian infantry divisions. 'as well as artillery and motorised units, are_ stationed. Concentrations of river craft, capable of carrying 20 or 30 men each, are massed on the Pruth River. Lar<re fleets of Russian naval vessels are also gathered in the Prutli and the Danube. Turkish newspapers stress the possibility of a German threat to Russia. The official newspaper "Ulus"' suggests that Germany may be preparing a base to strike north of Rumania, to check any Soviet move southwards. The Istanbul, .newspaper "Tan" says Russia would not allow the Dardanelles to fall into ot'Eer hands. Sources in Tokyo state that Germany, ""alarmed at British diplomatic moves in Russia, is< sending a mission t> Moscow.