RUSSIAN SUCCESS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 10 September 1941, Page 6

RUSSIAN SUCCESS

THRUST AT GOMEL HALTED PANZER COLUMNS SMASHED j POSITION IN LENINGRAD TEST OF SOVIET LEADERSHIP (Rec., 2 p.m.) London, Sept., !). Available information docs not indicate the measure of success attending the Russian move in the j I put Valley beyond the fact that j the German thrust through Gomel is halted, at least temporarily, hut I it is interesting to note that the Russians are also high-spiritedly assailing the invaders further south . j in the central sector. Despatches to the “Red Star” ! tell how Russian tanks and artillery f euuntcr-attaeking at Garnostaipol smashed panzer columns and pre- ! vented them crossing the Teterev The position in Leningrad continues tremendously to test Russian leadership, bravery and resources. A German military spokesman dej dared to-night “German troops have . 1 completely cut off Leningrad from i I Lake Ladoga, hence it is to be assumed I that the Germans contacted the Finns] Jon the Karelian Isthmus.” ! j According to Stockholm despatches j !officials in Berlin admit that the Ger- i ] man High Command is anxious to con- ; elude the battle for Leningrad as quick- ! _j ly as possible “in order to release j | troops urgently wanted for tasks else- j where before the winter sets in.” Officials claim that the final phase] in the fate of Leningrad began with ■ the capture of Shlusselburg, but added | that the date of Leningrad’s fall will depend on the method chosen by the | ’ Germans. If capitulation is delayed) they may be obliged to resort to bomb-j ing similarly to Warsaw and Rotter | dam. The latest Hungarian comuniques 1 states that Russians on the Ukraine, • front are using clouds of artificial fog! 1 to launch counter-attacks across the] Dnieper in barges. ’j Attackers at Odessa ruefully admit! that the defences are exemplarily or- j \ ganised. The Rumanians, despite vigorous i Luftwaffe support, are compelled to. ! flght for every yard. POSITION SUMMARISED [ Developments discernible on the 1 , Russian front since the week-end show ! . liule change on Marshal Budenny’s ] ; sector along the Dnieper southwards [ of Kiev, improvements in Marshal » *• imoshenko s central position mainly r I defending Moscow’s distant approaches, . I and some deterioration in Marshal . Voroshilov’s position around Lenin- [ grad. Although the situation on the Leningrad sector holds most serious possibilities for the Russians Marshal Timoshenko’s success in the Yelnia ’ i area at the moment "holds the stage.” | Germans themselves optimisti—- ; cally reported heavy fighting in the ! Velnia region at the end of August, 1 i and the Russian success can be regard- i j ed as °f very great local importance, j i although nothing at present indicates it is more than local. It is, however, , the most important Russian success since Marshal Timoshenko halted the i Germans between Smolensk and Viaz- . ma and so far constitutes the highest ; development of the Russian offensive southward of Smolensk, which began last month. 1 The set-back at Yelnia is bound to considerably affect the German position in the Gomel areas, because it will compel further diversion of reserves : f)'om operations against the Russians, who are threatening to pin the Germans against or drive them into the Pripet marshes by advancing along the Iput valley.—U.P.A.