CENTRAL SECTOR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 September 1941, Page 5

CENTRAL SECTOR

HUGE RUSSIAN FORCES BEING CONCENTRATED BITTER FIGHTING REPORTED. SOME NAZI CLAIMS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, September 4. Berlin radio says that the Russians are counter-attacking in the directions of Viazma, Roslavl and Bryansk on the central front. A correspondent of the Italian news agency on the Eastern Front reports that the Russians are concentrating huge forces between Kiev and Smolensk. which the Luftwaffe is continuously bombing. The German news agency also records bitter fighting on the central front. It claims that strong Russian forces were routed and thrown back with heavy casualties. The Luftwaffe, it says, made heavy attacks on objectives in the vicinity of Briansk and Kharkov, also communications to the Dnieper from the east. A report from Berlin quoted in Stockholm states that the Germans hope to force their way to Kharkov “before the British follow up the junction with the Russians in Iran by gaining a firm footing in the Caucasian oilfields.” Berlin radio admits renewed Russian counter-attacks, in the southern sector, and says the Russians again attempted to cross the Dnieper. The German news agency reports that that Rumanians are within one mile and a half of Odessa, and are now preparing to storm the city. Divebombers are supporting the Rumanian forces, which are under the command of General Antonescu, the Rumanian leader.

These reports are totally unconfirmed. Nothing is known officially suggesting that Odessa’s position is more serious than it has been for several days.