Soviet Forces Threatened

Evening Star, Issue 23991, 16 September 1941, Page 7

Soviet Forces Threatened

Heavy Enemy Losses Round Leningrad Russians Attacking In Central Sector (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright (Rec. 10 a.m.) RUGBY, September 15. A serious threat to Soviet forces in the Kiev sector is seen by military commentators in London in the evacuation by the Russians of Kremenchug on the eastern bank of the Dnieper some 80 miles north-west of Dnepropetrovsk. The German plan would appear to be to advance in a south-westerly direction from Chernikov,' which they recently captured, to join up with the forces advaneng north-east from Kremenchug. If successful this operation w'ould result in the encirclement of Kiev, and would destroy its communications with the rest of Russia. The bitter resistance which the German communique says is being encountered in the Leningrad sector is considered here to indicate that the Nazi losses in their attempts to capture the city have been particularly heavy. SUCCESSIVE COUNTER-ATTACKS. A Soviet supplementary communique instances recent successful Russian counter-attacks. The sector is not indicated, but since it is known that successful local counter-attacks continue to be launched by the Russians in the central sector it is presumed that they have taken place in this area. The communique says a very important point on the front was re-inforced by the Germans. “ Our troops received an order to take this position, and our attack was launched. The - Germans counter-attacked with tanks, supported by infantry. Our units destroyed eight German tanks and inflicted heavy losses upon the enemy infantry. The German infantry called off their attack and were then attacked from the flank. Six hundred Germans were killed. A second counter-attack was launched by the enemy, but this again failed. In fighting on September 11 and 12 two German regiments were routed. The Germans lost 25 tanks, 28 guns, four wireless stations, many machine«guns, minethrowers and armoured cars and a large amount of ammunition was destroyed.” RUSSIAN GUERRILLAS ACTIVE. The communique then refers to successful Russian partisan . activities . behind the. German lines. “In White Russia partisan warfare is steadily increasing, and in the second half of August the losses inflicted by partisans were very heavy. In consequence of the serious losses on the Eastern Eront the Germans have been compelled to remove a great part of their garrison from White Russia in order to replace the losses at the front. The Germans sought to replace this garrison with Kulaks (wealthier Russian peasants), and partisans dealt with these traitors.”