BY RUSSIANS IN LENINGRAD AREA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 September 1941, Page 5

BY RUSSIANS IN LENINGRAD AREA

Enemy Ejected from River Islands GERMANS CLAIM SUCCESSES FURTHER SOUTH INTENSIFIED THREAT TO KIEV AND CRIMEA LONDON, September 16. While the Germans boast of the unabated violence of their attack on the Leningrad defences, Russian troops have recaptured strategic positions near the city. A group of small islands on an unnamed river had been taken by the Germans in their attacks on Leningrad, but under cover of artillery fire, Russian troops forced a crossing and seized the islands. They now hold all the islands and both banks of the river. Other reports state that the Russians have recaptured a township and inflicted heavy losses on the Germans. The Germans had broken through the Russian lines at this point, but were in turn forced to retreat. Two hundred miles south of Leningrad the Germans claim to have defeated a Russian diversion intended to relieve the pressure against Leningrad. They also claim to have advanced on a wide front from the River Dnieper. If this is true the threat to the Crimea and Kiev is greater. The Germans are hurling large numbers of dive-bombers against Kiev, and Murmansk. Berlin gives particulars of the Bulgarian reply to the Russian Note, received a few days ago. Bulgaria states that she is surprised and pained by Russia’s fears of Bulgaria preparing to take action against the Soviet and states that the measures taken are purely defensive and precautionary. Bulgaria denied disloyalty to the Soviet.