FIERCE FIGHTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20636, 16 August 1941, Page 5

FIERCE FIGHTS

LIME OF DNIEPER GERMAN PRESSURE ITALIANS CLAIM SHARE “RINGING” OF RUSSIANS Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Aug. 16. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 15. A Russian communique of to-day reports that fierce fighting occurred yesterday along the whole front between the White Sea and the Black Sea. It says that the Russians evacuated Kirovagrad and Pervomaisk. Russian warships sank a German submarine in the Baltic. A Russian communique issued early in the afternoon states: “During last night our troops engaged in stubborn fighting in the direction of Kexholm, Staraya Russa and Smolensk and on the Esthonian sector. 0"r air force in co-operation with the land forces, continued to deal heavy blows on enemy troops.” The British official wireless service Tates that the Russian evacuation of Kirovagrad and Pervomaisk, the former being 110 miles north of Odessa and the latter the same distance north of Nikolayev, is taken in authoritative'circles in London as a definite indication that they are withdrawing behind the line of the Dnieper in this area. The situation can be described as deteriorating to the extent to which the withdrawal is being carried out. The Russians in this sector are undoubtedly in some danger of being cut off owing to the very nature of the forward thrusts in modern warfare by which advancing prongs inevitably cut off bodies of opposing troops. Hazardous Task It is not yet known whether the Russians intend to fight for Odessa, Crossing the Dnieper below Kiev would be a hazardous task for the Germans, the river being more than half a mile across just below Kiev and much wider in the Odessa region, concludes the British official wireless service. The Moscow newspaper Pravda states that the German armies totally destroyed so far in the eastern campaign include one tank corps, five tank divisions, four infantry divisions, one Black Guard division, and 12 other regiments. In addition 21 divisions have lost over 50 per cent of their effectives. Pravda says that “great and serious events” lie behind such Russian statements as: “Nothing of importance occurred.” The Berlin news agency refers to a series of violent battles in the northern sector, and claims that a new Dunkirk is developing on the Black Sea coast. The Italian news agency states: “In the first big clash between Italian and Russian forces large numbers of casualties were inflicted on the Russians in the Ukraine. The Italians are now encircling the enemy on the River Bug.” '