GERMAN ADVANCE AT POLTAVA

Southland Times, Issue 24546, 22 September 1941, Page 5

GERMAN ADVANCE AT POLTAVA

Furious Engagements LONDON, September 20. _ The carnage is terrific at Velikiyeluki, where the fighting has blazed up intensely. The Germans are attacking with forces outnumbering the Russians by two to one. The Germans with 2000 tanks have advanced from Kremenchug to Poltava. The German High Command claims that Poltava has fallen and that furious engagements are raging at Nikopol and Novoovorontsovska, where the Germans have established a bridgehead several miles wide. Another bridgehead, they say, has been gained at Borislav and street fighting is raging in Kakhovka.

Marshal Simeon Budenny’s artillery is pounding the Germans, who are waging the offensive in this region more fiercely than ever. The Soviet Army newspaper Red Star says that a Russian counter-attack hurled back the German 20th Tank Division, which was again attempting to storm the defences to the south-east of Leningrad. The Russians attacked both frontally and on the flanks, destroying 40 tanks and capturing others. FINNISH CLAIMS A Finnish communique claims that the Finns control the whole of the Leningrad-Murmansk railway and that their artillery is keeping the line under fire where Finnish troops have not actually occupied it. The Finnish Air Force has broken Soviet attempts at counter-attacks on the Karelian Isthmus and in Eastern Karelia.

Leningrad’s approaches are the scene of thrust and counter-thrust as fierce as any of the war. The fighting does not abate day or night and General von Leeb is making a desperate effort to force a decision. But the Russians are constantly counter-attacking and are flinging in more heavy tanks. The Germans are now claiming to have penetrated only the outer defences and to be within 18 miles of Leningrad. This contrasts with their previous claim to have penetrated the inner defences and to be within 15 miles of the city’s centre.

The Stockholm correspondent of The Times says that the most important section of the fighting is south of Leningrad, particularly near Lake Ilmen. The German claims concerning the action here seem exaggerated and are probably designed to lighten the disappointment in Germany at the delay in the operations against Leningrad, the announcements concerning which induced the general expectation that Leningrad would fall within a few days. Today’s information indicates that the most recent fighting west of the Valdai Hills has been very costly for both sides. Both realize the vital importance of this still unfinished battle. A complete or even partial Russian success here would definitely defeat General von Leeb’s offensive against Leningrad and would dictate his withdrawal or threaten the envelopment of his forces. Marshal Timoshenko’s offensive operations on the Central front are important in detaining the Germans from reinforcing General von Leeb, but their importance should not be over-esti-mated. Marshal Timoshenko is apparently not strong enough to make the Germans really anxious or they would have stopped General von Bock’s offensive through Gomel. DEFENCE OF MOSCOW

Marshall Timoshenko’s defence of the western approaches to Moscow must be considered in conjunction with the defence of Leningrad. Should General von Leeb capture Leningrad and Marshal Voroshilov finally lose the initiative in the Valdai Hills, the German armies would be released from Leningrad to swoop south-east to Moscow, demonstrating that Marshal Timoshenko’s local offensive is little more helpful than marking time. Thus, the operations against Leningrad around the Valdai Hills today are deciding Moscow’s prospects for tomorrow. The Russian High Command issued a communique last night which stated: “Our troops are engaged in fighting on the entire front. Particularly fierce fighting took place on the Kiev front. Our air force dealt heavy blows on enemy motorized troops, artillery and enemy aircraft at the aerodromes.” It is officially stated that heavy fighting has been going on outside Kiev for the past few days. The enemy has penetrated the outer defences in one sector and has reached the outskirts of the city. The Germans suffered enormous losses in men and ammunition, and threw in fresh units. The midnight communique stated: “Fighting continued along the whole front. We shot down 112 German planes for the loss of 23. The Germans are increasing their pressure on Leningrad and have ordered the positions to be taken at all costs.”

The Stefani News Agency reports that the Finns have occupied Rukajervi, 90 miles from the former Rus-

sian-Finnish frontier after fierce fighting. According to the Russian Army newspaper Red Star, the Russians in a three-day battle at Trubchevsk killed 2500 Germans and drove the Germans out of the forest, smashing three German headquarters. The Germans claim that General von Bock’s forces swept into Marshal Timoshenko’s forces, so cutting off a large section of them and joining up with General von Rundstedt’s forces which crossed the Dnieper below Kiev. The claim, if true means that the vast area eastward of Kiev is encircled, trapping 250,000 men of Marshal Timoshenko’s forces. OUTFLANKING BATTLE A German communique says General von Rundstedt’s and General von Bock’s concentric offensive operations resulted in a new and vast outflanking battle. After the Gomel battle strong German forces advanced against the upper and lower course of the Desna River, thence eastwards with the object of linking up with the forces which crossed the Dnieper near Kremenchug and attacking northwards. The union of these forces was effected on September 13, 125 miles eastwards of Kiev. The ring was thus closed around four Russian armies, whose annihilation is progressing. The communique gives German losses between June 22 and August 31 as 84,354 dead, 292,690 wounded and 18,921 missing. Luftwaffe losses in the same period were 1542 dead, 3980 wounded and 1378 missing. The Germans have taken prisoners 1,800,000 Russians. Russian dead are probably higher.