RUSSIA.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16841, 22 May 1920, Page 9

RUSSIA.

* A BRITISH WITHDRAWAL. (By Cable—Pre?? Association —Caprricrht.) (Australian and S.Z. Cablo Association.) LONDON, May '20. Owing to the Bo'.skeriks' enormous superiority, the British detachment at Enzeli, on the Caspian, accepted tlw Bolshevik terras and quitted the town, whero the invaders are now in full session. : The Bolshevik capture of E'zeli is regarded as a most seriov.s move, in v;e.v of tho military heltvessiu'ss or Pc]'*' 3 / the ne-.v responsibilities of the Br.tis.i in the M'd-East, and the risks as regards India. It is a-sumel that the [WsK-riks fi"st a impel at the Denikin's volunteer fleet interned at En?.e.i, but d ui'itloss the ultimate pur:in?e was toe of Teheran. ; The situation is aggravated by tho un-; reliability of Persia's Co;sa?k division, 1 of which five t'ous-ind are lcporred t > openly sympathise with Bo'sh i rism. It is feared that the whole division will join the TW.s. The "F'aiiy Mra : l" estimates the British troops at Enzeli at between font nid five hundred. A handful remain ">t T-ibriz. who ; e fate, like those ciptnred at Bnku, is unknown. The w''ola situation involves a sericus menace "to tlie national prestige throughout tho Middle East, and erd.mgers vitally im-port-ant oil interests in Persia. r A BOLSHEVIK ADVANCE. (Received Met 21st, 5.5 p.m.) j I .ONPON, M-y 20. 1 A wireless B'lshevik commun'quo says: We started a general advance in the Polotsk-Lepol region on the 14t'n iust. on a 50-mile front, and penetrated to tho Polotsk-Moledetoheno railway; northward 1 of T.epel. We took a large number of prisoners. A Moscow Tvirele : s claims thnt tho Reds occupied Disnalepol, forced tho river Berezina on a sector of twenty mi'es, and captured colossal food and military supplies in the region of Pol-otsk-Molodetcheno. The Poles continuo to retreat, and at several points are showing panic.