Russo-German War

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXXI, Issue 9639, 25 June 1941, Page 2

Russo-German War

ADVANCE BY INVADERS

THREE TOWNS GSflyPrtD BY P.ZiS

DEFENDERS WITHDRAW

TERRIFIC CLASHES EXPECTED

LONDON, June 24: A Moscow communique states: "During yesterday the enemy unsuccessfully directed his main effort towards Siaulai, Kaunas, Grodno, Wolkowvs, Kobryn, Vladimir Volynsk, Ravarusska and Brody. The enemy in the morning pierced our territory in the directions of Siaulai and Ravarusska, but was driven back beyond the State frontier. Our artillery lire in the Siaulai area destroyed 300 tanks. The enemy forced our covering units in the direction of Bialystok and Brest-Litovsk to with-* draw after severe fighting, and occupied Kolno, Lomza and Brest-Litovsk. Oifr air force and anti-aircraft guns shot down 52 German aeroplanes. We took prisoner 5000 officers and men. Seventy-six German aeroplanes were shot down on Sunday. All the towns mentioned in the Moscow communique are from Siaulai to Brody on the line from Lithuania to south Poland. The Germans claim that in addition to capturing Brest-Litovsk they destroyed Russian forts around the town. The Berlin radio says there was no sign of the Red Army, which was completely routed by German horse cavalry, storming on in spite of Russian snipers in villages.

Another German report says one German column has been advancing two and a-half m*les an hour since crossing the River Bug. It was found that the Russfans had left bridges intact because they were not strong enough to carry heavy vehicles.

While hundreds of Royal Air Force aeroplanes "blitzed" the German bases and industrial centres in the West, the Reichswehr in the Ea3t threw in all types of tanks and armoured vehicles in a vigorous drive to reach the Russians' main lines. The latest German comment admits that the Germans have yet to meat the main forces of the Red Army and forecasts terrific clashes. It is frankly admitted that the war against Russia is regarded purely as part of the war against Britain.

MISSIONS TO RUSSIA

CO-ORDINATION OF RESOURCES PLANNED EFFORT TO CRUSH HITLERISM LONDON, June 24.

British Military and Economic Missions are to leave for Russia, and preparations for their departure are being pressed forward as quickly as possible. The Foreign Secretary, MiAnthony Eden, stated that the object of the Missions was the co-ordin-ation of resources in the common effort to crush Hilerism.

Sir Stafford Cripps, British Ambassador to the Soviet, who has been in England for the last fortnight, hopes to return within a day or two.

Turkey, stated Mr Eden, was Britain's friend and ally, and had kept in close touch with the British Government while negotiations for the treaty with Germany were proceeding. The treaty had come as no surprise, but naturally the Imperial Government would have preferred matters to be However, Turkey had given an assurance within the last 24 hours that her agreement with Britain remained intact. So far as Finland was concerned, the Finnish Minister had expressed the hope that England would not be involved in Russia's conflict with her. In regard to Poland, she had earned her freedom, and Britain would stand by her agreement.

Prince Konoye, the Japanese Prime Minister, has had an audience with the Emperor at which he reported on the foreign situation. \