RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1918, Page 5

RUSSIA.

THE GERMAN ULTIMATUM. ACCEPTED BY HARK U \ OTUTY. ENEMY STILL ADVANCING. TURKS AT THE: 'lOXft Received Feb. 22, 5.5 p.m. l'e'irograd, Feb. 21. The Bolshevik ( Jove-runn-jic. accepted the German ultimatum by five votes to four. Lenin was the ].rincip:il advocate for acceptance. doclariny that pace was necesary in order to save tin: revolution. Trotsky favored war. As the Germans advance they are issuing proclamations that further resistance ia futile. The Hermann are tryin? to cut tiie Libau-Romcn railway, the Russian Red Guards uml soM.er- o'lVerinj? no opposition, hut retiring ;u:.' leaving ammunition and supplier behind. The Turkish army has appeared at jTrebizond. GERMAN PRISONERS AT LARGE, OPERATING IN* MAXCHC'RIA. United Service Received Feb. 22, 8 pm. Shanghai, Feb. 21. Harbin telegrams state tnat German prisoners in Siberia are entirely free. Many are openly trading in German ■l'lods, others are canting to Xortli Manchuria with Russian passports, wliith may be pur-'hnsed for a hundred rouble?. Prompt Allied action is necessary to I combat the German occupation of these districts. ' BOLSHEVIK CREDULITY. ALARMED AT GERMAN ADVANCE. Received Feb. -22, 0 30 p.mLondon, Feb. 21. The Daily Chronicle's Pet.-ograd correspondent states that the Bolshevik Government, helieving that German soldiers would refuse to attack Russia, was surprised and alarmed by the German advance, and decided to suspend demobilisation. Orders were given to the retiring troops to destroy military stores. The front has cca'sed to exist, owing to desertions and demobilisation, so that any resistance will be in the nature of guerilla warfare. The Germans apparently intend to force the ' entrance to the Gulf of Finland and land troops on the Finnish coast. A captured army order, signed byPrince Leopold, states that the object of the advance is not annexation, but the re-establishment of order and the prevention of the spread of anarchism in western Europe.

| ALEXIEFF'S PLAN, TO SWEEP BOLSHEVIKS FROM SOUTHERN RUSSIA, 1 Timej) Service. [ Received Feb. 22, 9 30 p.m. Petrograd, Feb. 21. General Alexieff has elaborately planned, in conjunction with Generals Korniloff. Endel. Markoff, and Deuken, to seize the railways and cut off all communication with central and northern Russia from the south, then to make a clean sweep of the southern Bolsheviks if the blockade is effective. It is stated the Bolsheviks fear the superior discipline of General Alexieffs army and the ?bility of hi- large staff of officers. ' The results of the plan will ultimately depend unon General Alexieff getting sufficient artillery and munitions- i CHAOS IN RUSSIA. AN AUSTRIAN'S PICTURE. Received Feb. 22, S p.m. Amsterdam, Feb. 21. Horr Seidler, speaking in the Reichsrath, stated that Ukraine was convulsed with civil war and that the whole of Russia was in a state of anarchy. Chaos was everywhere and was constantly extending. Every man's hand was against his fellow. All prophecies regarding transport of foodstuffs were futile-

KALEDIX'S SUICIDE CONFIRMED. United Service. Received Feb. 22, 8 p.m. Petrograd, feb 21. General Kaledin's suicide is confirmed. A GENERAL MURDERED. Times Service. Received Feb. 22, 11,35 p.m. Petrograd, Feb. 21. When Moliileff was evacuated, General Yanuskevitch, former Chief of the General Staff, was taken prisoner while travelling by train to Petrograd- He attempted to seize a revolver, when told that he would be interned in a. fortress. The Red Guards thereupon, shot him deadGERMAN OFFENSIVE CONTINUED. Petrograd, Feb. 20. The German offensive continues in the direction of Vitebsk, Molodetchno and Minsk. It is believed that Rieshitcha (50 miles north-east of Dvinsk) has already fallen. EFFECT ON PETROGRAD. Petrograd, Feb. 22. Headquarters expresses the opinion that if the German northern advance continues the fate of Petrograd will be decided within a fortnight. ADVANCE TO BE RESISTED. New York, Feb. 21. A United Press message from Petrograd states that the authorities have ordered the stopping of the demobilisation of the Russian army and navy, and have also ordered the troops to resist the German advance. Preparations are being made to defend Petrograd,