Leningrad As Goal

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 43, 19 August 1941, Page 7

Leningrad As Goal

RUSSIAN DIFFICULTIES IN

UKRAINE

LONDON, August 18.

The Germans have launched a new offensive against Leningrad. Although neither side gives any details, there are indications that an enemy pincer movement is developing in this sector. One prong is feeling its way east along the south coast of the Gulf of Finland, and the other is coming north from the region of Lake Ilmen.

According to a Rome report, some German units from the north have joined forces with others advancing from Estonia. Jf this is confirmed it would indicate a German thrust along the 30-mile neck between the Estonian coast and Lake Peipus, which forms two-thirds of the Estonian frontier with Russia proper.

The Germans have admitted that in Estonia Russian guerrilla detachments are giving them great trouble, and there seems no doubt that strong Russian forces still hold certain areas on the Estonian coast, including Tallinn, the capital, and the. two islands of Dago and Osel. The Germans are very anxious to.control these islands, which are the starting place for Russian air weids on Berlin.

There has been no news of the position in the Ukraine' since the Russians admitted the loss of Nikolaiev and Krivoy-Rog.

Renter's Moscow correspondent says the Russians fully realise that the war is entering the difficult phase that they generally anticipated. The loss of these two places is undoubtedly a serious setback, but the blowing up of the docks at Nikolaiev shows that the Russian army is determined to leave nothing to the Germans.

The German boast that they have deprived the Russians of their most aluable source of iron ore is clearly ai exaggeration. Reuters correspond■nt points out that the iron ore basin •.xtends all the way from Krivoy3og to the Dnieper and well beyond.

Up to the present, the threat to Leningrad from the south-east, dangerous because of the easy terrain and the proximity of the city, has been held by stubborn Russian resistance. According to neutral correspondents in Finland the Germans have also been waiting to cover their right flank. In their efforts to do so by thrusting northwards, they will have to overcome many natural obstacles in their path, such as marsh lands. Even then, they will have to penetrate Leningrad's very strnne1 flefenofls.