DRIVE ON LENINGRAD

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1941, Page 7

DRIVE ON LENINGRAD

FINNS CLAIM PROGRESS German Advance In Ukraine Further Raid On Moscow

LONDON, July 23. A new thrust at Leningrad and a Russian withdrawal in the Ukraine are shown in the Russian communique issued at midnight last night. Other reports from Russia speak ol the opening of a new triple offensive against Leningrad, Moscow, and Kiev. The new thrust at Leningrad is being made from Finland along the narrow neck of land between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega, 80 miles to the east. The Russians say that heavy fighting is going on in the Petrozavodsk sector. Petrozavodsk, on the west shore of Lake Onega, is a station on the railway running from north to the Arctic port oi Murmansk. A successful drive in tins sector would endanger the Russian forces on the Karelian isthmus and would threaten the defenders of Leningrad with a great sweep to their rear. „ - The heavy lighting on the Baltic States front has moved from the Pskov sector to the Porkhov sector, 45 miles to the east, and this indicates that the German thrust north has made no progress. The Smolensk sector is again mentioned by the Russians as the scene of fierce fighting. In the Ukraine, the Russians admit that the lighting has moved from Novograd Volynsk to Zhitomir, 55 miles south-east of Novograd Volynsk and 85 miles west of Kiev. German accounts say that a more serious threat to Kiev is.developing from the south. Writing before these developments’ were announced from Moscow, the Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” said: “The German panzer armies are now desperately grouping and repairing their machines for the third push which, if it does hot reach Leningrad or Moscow, may have a decisive effect on the final result of the war. The German High Command knows that the Russians still have big reserves, and if the war goes on on tins scale for another three weeks, 'he Germans will be compelled to draw < n precious reserves.” The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times” endorsed this assessment, and added that the Russian reserves of men and machines, if efficiently mobilised and directed, are capable of checking and even of beating the Germans. The Russians, he commented, believe that the Germans are perilously near the employment of their chief effective reserves and that th whole German war machine is badly mauled. MORE TRANSPORTS SUNK. The Moscow radio announced that Soviet E-boats, operating in the Baltic, sank four enemy transports and one destroyer. The convoy was escorted by destroyers and patrol vessels. One E-boat’s torpedoes sank the destroyer and others sank large merchantmen, including a transport laden with troops and arms. A tank battalion, after routing Germans and Rumanians, captured 350 prisoners and 472 motor-cycles. Cavalry surrounded and annihilated a retreating German and Rumanian infantry battalion.

“In fighting near Pskov we captured parcels of secret documents, including instructions for the use of poison-gas distributed by mines,” the Moscow announcer added. “The documents prove that the Germans, realising the unavoidable failure of their blitzkrieg, are preparing largescale gas attacks.” The Russians also say that 87 Ger.man aeroplanes were destroyed on Monday for the loss of 14 of their own. The German radio has informed the people of Germany that their troops are now approaching the Dnieper river, but that it will be difficult to cross. In the drive to Leningrad, the Germans are held up at Lake Peipus, but they have advanced into the narrow gap between Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga. THREAT TO LENINGRAD. RUGBY, July 23. With, regard to the situation on the Russian front, it is felt in London, today, that generally there is a lull in activities. There is, however, fighting in the northern sector where Finns and Germans are attacking in the neighbourhood of Petrozavodsk, north-east of Lake Ladoga. Reports confirm that the Russians here are making withdrawals. It may that this effort by the Germans forms part of a pincer movement, with Leningrad as the ultimate object. This .northern attack would operate in connection with the German thrust from the direction of Etonia. Petrozavodsk is on the Leningrad-Murmansk railway, and on the south-west shore of Lake Omega. There is still no confirmation in London that Smolensk has fallen. I There is nothing to suggest that the Germans have captured Kiev. In the Bessarabia sector, it seems that the Russians are still withdrawing. RUSSIANS HOLD SMOLENSK. ENEMY'S ADVANCE HALTED. (Rec. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON. July 23. Smolensk, which is the focal point of probably the biggest and bloodiest battle ever waged by mechanised •forces, is and has always been, in the Red Army’s hands, says Reuter’s correspondent, in a special message, to-night, from Moscow. “It is true that the German advance units j reached the outskirts of this key city some days ago, but the defenders drove them off. The Soviet communiques rightly continued to speak' of fighting in the direction of Smolensk. The Russians have placed many obstacles on the roads between Smolensk and Moscow. These obstacles are hampering the present Russian communications with the batlefront, but can be regarded as one reason why the Germans are ginning to realise that a frontal attack agains.t Moscow is a hopeless task, and wny the Nazis are now trying to explain to the German people that the High Command's immediate objective is not Moscow, but the destruction of the Soviet Army. The situation in the Leningrad region is. more obscure. The Russians don’t believe the Germans can thrust either across the highly fortified Karelian Isthmus, across which stands the old Mannerheim Line or around Lake Ladoga, with its difficult terrain cut by lakes and waterways. The danger to Leningrad is possibly onlv from the south-west, but the main Russian forces in that region are grimly holding on around Pskov. The Germans there find themselves in a position not unlike that at Srnolensk Furthermore, the whole region between Pskov and Leningrad,, and between Tallinn and Lenmgiad along the coast, is largely made up of forests and marshes with few roads.” GERMAN ADMISSIONS. The British United Press Berlin correspondent quotes official sources as saying that the terrific battles south-westwards of Novgorod and around Smolensk have somewhat slowed down the German advance. The existence of very large Soviet forces in the rear after the German armoured cars passed beyond Smolensk forced the Germans widely to detour around the city in order to

contact with the advanced cars. The Soviet Command is hurling in enormous reserves seeking to protect Leningrad, Moscow and Kiev. It also aumitted that substantial Soviet forces were “left behind” in a large pocket in the Jitomir area. The Germans have still not reached the main defences of Leningrad, where they expect to find the toughest resistance yet met. Berlin’s radio official commentator’ refers to the continuous rains on the southern front, which so thoroughly soaked the ground that the German advance is only makeable very slowly and witn great difficulty. It is claimed that numerous Russian, pockets on the central front are subjected- to heavy pressure. The pockets, aided by counter-attacks from outside, numerously attempted to break out and sometimes succeeded, but “soon were surounded elsewhere.” He added that whereas French resistance collapsed because most commanders and every soldier realised further resistance was hopeless, the Russians fight on stolidly, ignoring the fact. 1... Berlin . correspondent of the Zurich “National Zeitung” says: The Russian Hffih Command is throwing in more reserves than the Germans expected. , . . ’ Other reports, originating at Berlin, harp on the claim that the Russians are being forced to use up more and more reserves, but even from the fronts northward of Leningrad, at present it appears that German progress is being over-estimated.

FINNISH CLAIMS QUESTIONED (Rec. 1.30). LONDON, July 23. “The Times’s” Stockholm correspondent reports: Despite the Russian reference to fighting in the Petrozavodsk sector, information from Finland is that General Mannerheim’s troops are scarcely within 100 miles of Petrozavodsk, and have not crossed the 1939 Finnish frontier. There is no trustworthy evidence that the enemy has anywhere reached the Leningrad-Murmansk railway. The Associated Press correspondent with the Finnish Army at Karelia says: Clouds of smoke on the eastern horizon show how closely the Russians are following the 4 scorched earth” policy. Terrific Russian artillery concentrations, covering the withdrawals, keep up shelling through the night, reducing woods and abandoned villages to asnes. The indescribably bad roads are heavily mined. It is impossible to detect all the mines. Many German vehicles have been blown up. A Finish communique claims that major Soviet units are encircled for several sectors. A number of strategically important points in Karelia have been reoccupied. _ A German communique states: German, Rumanian, Hungarian and Slovak troops in the Ukraine are pressing forward in ceaseless pursuit. Enemy attempts at counterattacks failed everywhere, with extremely heavy losses. The operations on the Finnish front are proceeding according to plan, with further gains of territory.—U.P.A. MIDDLE EAST DRIVE? (Rec. noon.) LONDON, July 23. Authoritative quarters in London agree that the second German thrust on Leningrad, Moscow, and Kiev has spent itself, with the Russians maintaining their resistance on practically all fronts. ~ . . , Point to this contention is given by the statement of the German High Command spokesman, “It is better now for us to stay put in Russia lor the time being. We did not intend to cross natural obstacles such as rivers and marshes, but to take advantage of them to impede the retreat of the enemy.” . Simultaneously, Berlin officials warned foreign correspondents not to expect sensational communiques m the next few days. . The lull in the German drive is provoking speculation in London as to whether Germany may attack m the Middle East, sending troops through Turkey—with or without permission—in an attempt to seize the oilfields stretching from Baku to Iran. The “Daily Express’s” Stockholm correspondent, and the “Daily Herald’s” diplomatic correspondent, both declare that Germany is bringing strong pressure on Turkey to co-op-erate with the Axis, and thus provide a passage for the German armies. The ‘‘Daily Express” correspondent reports that British officers from Iraq and Teheran arrived recently at Kasnodar, to establish with the Russian authorities headquarters for the defence of the Baku oilfields. Military observers point out that the Russian campaign must have severely drained German fuel supplies, which have ritot been replaced. A drive east, in an attempt to seize trie great oil basin from Baku to Iran, would therefore not be surprising.— U.P.A.

RUSSIAN CLAIMS RUGBY, July 23. A Russian morning communique states: During the night or July 22/2.:>, our troops continued stubborn lighting in the Petrozavodsk, Porkov, Smolensk, and Jitomir directions. In other sectors, nothing of importance occurred. The Soviet Air Force inflicted blows on motor mechanised units and enemy aerodromes. During July 22, and the night of Julv 22/23, 35 enemy planes were destroyed in aerial combat, and, during raids on enemy aerodromes, a (quantity of planes, the number of which is being ascertained, was set on fire. Our losses were 17.—8.0.W. ' MOSCOW AGAIN RAIDED. LONDON, July 23. Moscow had another air raid last night. The Moscow radio says that about 150 German aircraft took part, but only single machines were able to break through the defences. Preliminary reports, it says, show that la German aeroplanes wefe destroyed by 1 night fighters and anti-aircraft fire. I Anti-aircraft guns prevented large enemy (forces reaching Moscow, but dozens of people were killed or injured. No military target was hit. Fire brigades and the people extinguished fires in dwelling houses. A I hospital and a nursing home were serjiouc*y damaged. The alarm lasted I five hours. „ ~ , . j In the first raid, on Monday night, l 22 raiders were shot down, according I to an order of the day issued bv M. Stalin. “The raiders were spotted imi mediatelysaid M. Stalin, “and more than 200 were dispersed. Only isolated aeroplanes penetrated the capital. Some fires occurred. These were energetically extinguished. Good order prevailed.” . ' TRIBUTES ”tO~ RUSSIANS (Rec. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 23. Members of the British mission at Moscow are advising on fire-fighting, and praise the conduct of the Russian ifiremen and members of the A.R.P. (service during the raids on Moscow, i They claimed they compared favour - I ably with London’s. \ The British United Press corres-

pondent says: A non-stop barrage kept the raiders in the second raid high. Tons of bombs were jettisoned on woods outside the capital. The Berlin radio declared that Moscow was a vast flaming sea after last night’s raid, and that the Kremlin was hit several times, as well as administrative buildings. RUSSIANS-WILL WIN. MONTREAL, July 23. The belief that Russia can defeat Germany was expressed by Sir George. Paish, the economist, in an interview with the Canadian Press. He said: “Russia has a strong army, a very strong air fleet, and excellent navies in the Baltic and Black Seas. Russian morale is high and it Winter comes the Germans will be beaten.' He added that he saw no world menace of Communism in the event of a Russian victory. “Communism has been abandoned by the Russians because it will not work,” he said. “Russia is now a co-operative State. Large wages are paid to those worthy of them, and farm co-operative schemes mve the workers a share of the profits.”