New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-27
Russians Make No Effort
to Defend Main
Fortress.
AUSTRIANS DIVIDE
ENEMY'S FORCES
Cavalry Pushes East from kovcl
Germans Move On Tow
ard Grodno.

] main RUSSIAN fortress anu COuCeHlId-
ton centre for the Bug line of de-
fences, was occupied by the Austro-
Germans to-day. While the Russians
! offered stout resistance to the invaders
during their approach, they did not at
tempt to defend Brest-Litovsk itself,
but evacuated it as they did Ossowetz,
in conformity with their intention to
take up new positions further East.
German and Austro-Hungarian troops
stormed the works on the western and
northwestern front, and succeeded last
night in entering the centre fortress.
! The Russian then gave up the fort
ress.
The Germans now are in possession
of the whole line of railway from
/ Cholm to Bielostok, which the Rus
slams have already evacuated. The
lesser fortresses of Grodno and Olita
are now the only strongly defended po-
sitions remaining in the hands of the
Russians. Both these are being ap-
preached by the Germans, and prob
ably will be given up when they have
fulfilled their purpose of protecting the
retreat of the Russian armies.
/ Marsh Will Aid Retreat.
The Russians have not yet entered
/ the vast Bieloviezh forest, which runs
/ thirty miles north and south and has a
width of from seventeen to thirty miles.
/ Tn forest is famous hunting centre
and a bison preserve. South of it are
/ the Pripet marshes. which protect the
Russian left and with plenty of roads
and three or four railroad lines, it is
| expected here that Grand Duke Nicho-
las will make good his retirement if
Grodno and wilma can hold out long
enough.
Even though they should fall, mill
| tary observers say, the Grand Duke
would be well on his way to his new
positions before the Germans could
reach his flank. There is again talk of
Russian preparations for a stand, but
no indication as yet where this attempt
is to be made.
Austrian cavalry has pushed east
ward from Kovel and divided the Rus
sian iorces into two groups, which are
now unable to cooperate with each
other, according to advices received
from the commanders at the front
GERMAN OFFICIAL.
The o1icial statement of the German
Army Headquarters staff says:
Army Group of Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg: Near Bausk and Schoen-
berg, east of Mitau, fighting de-
/ veloped. East-southeast Of Kovno
/ fighting continues.
/ Between Seyny and Merecz, on the
/ Niemen River, the enemy was driven
/ back
Germans Move on Grodno.
In the woods east of Augustowo
Coward Grodno) a portion Of the
army under General Won Eichhorn IS
penetrating in an easterly direction.
Further south fighting is taking place
/ on the Berecowka sector.
Our advance troops have reached
/ Bielostok.
The army Of General Won Gallwitz
drove the enemy from the Orlanka
sector TO the north and TO the south
east of Bielostok.
/ The Army Group of General Field
Marshal Prince Leopold of Bavaria
badly defeated the enemy, who is
now fleeing toward the heart OF
Bieloviezh forest. He is only max
/ ing a stand in the region of kamien
iez-Litovsk. Over the whole front
from the Bieloviezh forest to the
swampy Pripet region, southeast Of
Brest-Litovsk, the pursuit is IN full
! swing.
RUSSIAN OFFICIAL.
The following official statement was
issued to-day at the headquarters OF
/ the Russian General Staff:
There has been no change in the
Riga district. To the southwest of
/ Friedrickstadt in the region OF
! Schoenberg and Radzivichki on the
| oath and 25th the enemy, reinforced,
resumed the offensive, and severe
and stubborn fighting ensued. In
the direction of Dunaburg, and in
the region of Oknista on the River
Sventa, We drove the Germans back.
/ In the direction of Wilma our
troops. which held up the enemy dur
ing the oath and 25th on the posi-
tions before Ivje, are gradually fall
ing back along both banks OF the
River Villa.
On the middle Niemen and the
front between the Bobr and the
Pripet our armies, in conformity
with instructions, are retiring toward
the east. The enemy is pressing our
troops only in certain directions,
having on the 25th concentrated his
principal efforts against BielOstok
and on the roads running eastward
from Bielsk to Kleshtshele.
On other sectors of our front. in,
general, there has been no important
change.
lUS-RIAN OFFICIAL.
The following Official statement was
i-sued tonight at the Austrian War
/ Office:
The fortress of Brest-Litovsk has
fallen. The Hungarian Landvehr,
under Field Marshal Won Arr, capt
: ured yesterday the village OF Koby
lany. southwest of the fortress, and
thereby broke the exterior of the fort
line. West Galicia, Silesian and North
Mo-, nan infantry stormed at the
.ame time the forts south of the viii
lage of Koroszcayn. German troops
capture the citadel.
Meantime the allies repelled the
enemy across the Lesna and in the
forest and msrshy district southeast
of Brest-Litovsk, while our cavalry,
pursuing the Russians from Kovel
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