RUSSIAN TRIUMPH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1941, Page 3

RUSSIAN TRIUMPH

IN BATTLES ON EASTERN FRONT Moscow Emphasises Significance of German Defeat ENEMY TROOPS WEST OF CAPITAL IN DANGEROUS POSITION DAMAGING ADMISSION BY NAZI GENERAL LONDON, December 28. Today the Moscow radio broadcast a triumphant summary of the progress of the battles between the 19th and 26th of this month and emphasised the significance of the German defeat. Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union, and Tula, its armoury, the broadcast states, have been freed from immediate danger. The enemy has been thrown back for distances of from 40 to 60 miles. The Russian advance in the Volokolamsk direction and south-west of Tula has driven wedges into enemyoccupied territory. In addition to important towns taken during the week, hundreds of villages have been cleared of the enemy. The German resistance has been most stubborn in the Mojaisk and Maloyaroslavets areas. The Russian advance on north and south places the enemy troops in these areas in a dangerous position. There is evidence that they are alive to their danger and are beginning to withdraw. After referring to the Russian advance in the Leningrad zone, the Moscow broadcast states that in the south-west the Germans are resisting most stubbornly and throwing their last troops into the battle, regardless of losses. The broadcast quotes an order issued by a German general calling for a revival of self-confidence in his troops and declaring that it is imperative that the present retreat should be baited at all points. This is stated to be the first admission by a high enemy commander that the movement is a retreat and not a withdrawal to prepared positions. The Kuibyshev radio states that in the second, half of the battle for Moscow the Germans have lost 120,000 officers and men.

It is announced that four more important centres in the Moscow region have been recaptured. From one of them three picked German divisions were driven out after suffering heavy losses.

The Moscow radio states that between December 13 and 22 Soviet forces in the Kalinin area recaptured 332 populated places and drove/out the German invaders. Further south a large locality, squth-west of Moscow has beefi occupied. This place has changed hands several times. It may be Kaluga. An agency message states that the Germans have suffered a great defeat here, leaving hundreds of killed and wounded on the battlefield. The Russians captured much booty, including tanks. In another sector Soviet forces inflicted heavy losses on the »wing of the retreating German troops. The enemy attempted to launch a counter-attack but this was beaten off and once again the Germans were in retreat.