Soviet Cities Hold Off Attackers

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 212, 8 September 1941, Page 7

Soviet Cities Hold Off Attackers

LENINGRAD, ODESSA

Heavy Tanks In Battles Raging On Northern Front

(United Press Association.—Copyright.—Rec. 1 p.m.)

LONDON, September 7

Although Berlin claims that the fighting around Leningrad and Odessa has moved perceptibly nearer a climax, not a single confirmed fact reveals that either town is more seriously threatened than for several days. Many reports suggest that at numerous points in the three main zones of the fighting the Russians are developing successful counter-attacks.

The Russians are making good use of the marshy terrain around Leningrad, while the Odessa garrison was recently strengthened. There has been no relaxation of the pressure on Leningrad from the west and south-west, but the slowness of the German advance is in contrast with the classic blitz methods and has already suggested a comparison with Madrid, where fighting in the suburbs proceeded to the end of the war.

The main Moscow-Leningrad railway is possibly now unusable as a result of continuous Luftwaffe attacks, but an indirect line, via Balogda, remains open, over which the Russians are unceasingly pouring in reinforcements to Leningrad, indicating that Marshal Voroshiloff does not fear the early fall of the city. Dislocating German Offensive Marshal Voroshiloff's frequent counter-attacks are seriously dislocating the German offensive, and all the Luftwaffe's attempts to gain command of the air, or at least destroy Leningrad's airports, have not succeeded owing to the tenacity of the Russian air fighters and the accuracy of the anti-aircraft batteries.

According to reports from Berlin, hundreds of German bombers and dive bombers are operating in waves over the northern front. Every Berlin comment on the northern fighting emphasises the severity of the Russian resistance. It is stated that the slowly advancing Germans have encountered bitter opposition at every tree clump and hillock.

The Times correspondent on the German frontier says violent combats are reported between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ilmen, and also around Luga, where both sides are using large numbers of heavy tanks. The correspondent adds that nothing substantiates the German High Command's claim that the situation at Leningrad is beginning to turn favourably for the attackers.

M. Lozovsky, Soviet spokesman, stated that Leningrad was proving an unlucky proposition for Hitler. The Germans were not only failing to advance, but had been forced to bring up reinforcements to keep the ground already captured. Tbe Germans are battling aimlessly between Leningrad and Novgorod against Marshal Voroshiloff's armies.