RUSSIANS LEAVE NOVGOROD

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22052, 27 August 1941, Page 5

RUSSIANS LEAVE NOVGOROD

FRONT DRENCHED BY RAIN Counter-Attacks In Ukraine By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (1 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 26. The midday Russian communique states that Soviet troops last night were engaged in stubborn fighting on the whole front. The evacuation of Novgorod, 100 miles south-east of Leningrad, has been confirmed in Moscow. It is not known whether the Germans will drive from here against Leningrad or attempt to cut the LeningradMoscow railway. The Moscow correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says heavy rain drenched northern Russia at the weekend, converting the battlefield into what a British general described as an excellent imitation of marmalade. The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says Marshal Budenny’s forces are no longer purely on the defensive in the lower Dnieper. The Germans were severely hit by a counter-attack. Russian flank attacks from Estonian bases are crippling the Germans attempting to advance towards Leningrad frofn Kingisepp.

The Germans have at last admitted the heavy counter-attacks launched by General Koniev in the central sector of the Eastern Front. They admit that the Russians made a big tank attack, supported by artillery, against the German infantry, stating that eight attacks in all were made to which the Russians lost 120 tanks. All attacks were repulsed, the Germans claim. There Is little news from other parts of the front, the Germans claiming progress in all sectors, but no details are given. The Berlin correspondent of a Swedish newspaper states that the Germans have shortened their line in the north, and also between Homel and Kiev. The correspondent states that the Germans claim a slow but deliberate advance all along the front, and that they have attacked the big Ukrainian power station in the industrial area on the Dnieper bend. According to reports received in Moscow from this front, the Russian forces, under General "jniev, after routing a German infantry division and inflicting 3000 casualties, smashed reinforcements which were hastily brought up. The Russians recaptured further villages and destroyed 130 tanks, more than 100 lorries, many guns, and a large quantity of ammunition. There are two stories of the war to the Baltic. T-e Russians claim that the Baltic Fleet has sunk four German transports carrying troops and munitions. The Germans have retaliated with a claim that German mines to the Baltic have sunk six ~ .s--sian vessels, three merchantman, two minesweepers, and one destroyer.

The night Russian communique states: Throughout the whole of the day our troops offered stubborn resistance to the enemy on the entire front. Novgorod, north of lake Ilmen, has been evacuated after fierce fighting. Rain has been falling for 24 hours to the northern sectors. A Reuter correspondent states that if the weather continues it will have a big effect on the German operations. The roads are already quagmires and tanks are finding it hard going across country.