IGNORED BY SOVIET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 July 1941, Page 5

IGNORED BY SOVIET

ALLEGED PIERCING OF STALIN LINE PANZER DIVISIONS HELD UP. ACCORDING TO RUSSIAN REPORTS. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, July 8. A claim in Berlin today* that the “Stalin Line” has been pierced is ignored in the latest Soviet communiques, which indicate firm, successful resistance in all the main centres, including some counterks« The Berlin military spokesman had announced that a major attack was launched last night against the Stalin Line, which, it was' claimed earlier yesterday, German forces had reached on a wide front. The spokesman gave a warning that the attack would introduce a period of extreme reticence by the German High Command. Today the German news agency claims that the attackers have broken through the line at several points. Moscow today states that all German efforts to cross the Dnieper River have been frustrated. The overnight Russian communique indicated that the Russian forces were still holding up the main thrusts by the German Panzer divisions along the whole front. It is clear that terrific battles continue to rage. It is significant that the earlier Russian communique, in describing the fierce fighting, referred to the same sectors mentioned in the latest announcement, suggesting that there has been no substantial change in the past day or two.