NEW RUSSIAN FRONT BEHIND DNIEPER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 193, 16 August 1941, Page 7

NEW RUSSIAN FRONT BEHIND DNIEPER

BUDENNY'S TASK 'j

River Forms Strong Barrier

To Enemy

I'.P.A. and Br;U*b Wirr-lee.?. Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, Aug. IS, The Russian evacuation of Krowo* grad and Pervonaisk. the former 110 miles north of Odessa and the latter the same distance north of Nikolaev. is taken in authoritative circles in London as a definite indication that Marshal Budenny's armies are -with* drawing behind the line of the Dnieper in this area. The situation can be described as deteriorating to the extent to which the withdrawal is being carried out. The Russians in this sector are undoubtedly in some danger of being cut off owing to the very nature of the forward tnrusts of modern warfare by which advancing prongs inevitably cut off bodies of opposing troops. It is not yet known whether the Russians intend to tight for Odessa. The crossing of the Dnieper below Kiev would be a hazardous task for the Germans, the river being more than half a mile across just below Kiev and much wider in the Odessa region. To-night's Russian communique said: "Our aircraft, in co-operation with the land troops, continued to deal blows at enemy troops and annihilated aircraft on his aerodromes. On Wednesday 74 German planes were brought down in air combats or destroved on aerodromes. We lost 27." The communique reports that fierce fighting was in progress on Thursday along the whole front between the White Sea and the Black Sea. It says the Russians have evacuated two towns in the Ukraine. Kirovograd (Elisavetgrad or Zinovievsk) and Pervomaisk. Russian warships sank a German submarine in the Baltic. Stubborn fighting took place during the night in the direction of Kexholm (Lake Ladoga) and Smolensk, and on the Estonian sector of the front. Italians In The Battle The Italian news agency states: "In the first big clash of Italian and Russian forces a large number of casualties was inflicted on the Russians in the Ukraine. The Italians are now encircling the enemy on the River Bug."' A German communique Issued from Hitler's headquarters reiterates that Odessa and Nikolayev are surrounded and that Krivoirog. a big mining centre, has been taken. The communique says fighting in other sectors is proceeding satisfactorily. The Russians', trying to check the advance of the German and Finnish troops, counter attacked but were repulsed with heavy losses. The Berlin news agency refers to a series of violent battles in the northern sector, and claims that a new Dunkirk is developing on the Black Sea coast. GRIM WARNING TO NAZIS Rec. 2 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 15. A grim warning of winter horrors for the Germans was given by Moscow radio in a special message to the Nazis. It states: "This winter you Germans will have British and Soviet bombers over all German cities. You will suffer starvation, and disease will spread among you. All your large army in Russia will be dying in snowstorms. For all that you will have to thank your Fuehrer, Heil Hitler!"