Evening star., 1941-10-28
Germans Reported Pushed Back
Ten Miles Along Moscow Front;
Fresh Troops Bolster Russians
Nozis Also Declared
Slowed in Drive
On Rostov


Russia's Red Armies defending
Moscow, strengthened by fresh
reserves from Siberia, we're re-
ported to have launched a series
Of fierce counterattacks in all
sections and driven the Germans
back as much as 10 miles from
the U. S. S. R. capital at some
points today.
Dispatches to Red Star. Soviet
Army newspaper, said Russian
troops had fortified themselves in
new positions after their counter
attacks and that the Nazis twice
had been beaten off in assaults on
the village of IS" Forty OF 80 Ger
man tanks used in the attack were
destroyed the dispatches said.
Bad weather, coupled with bitter
Soviet counter-blOWs. was reported
to be slowing the Germans along
the entire front.
Latest dispatches reaching Lon
don said the Nazi onslaught into the
Southern Ukraine was slackening in
the face Of Soviet resistance. but it
was acknowledged that German
forces had advanced within 10 to
Is miles OF Rostov, gateway to the
Caucasus oil fields.
Leningrad Pounded.
IN the north. the Germans said
their siege guns had been pounding
Leningrad steadily for the last "a
hours-apparently as the prelude to
direct infantry assault-and that
Russians encircled in the Leningrad
sector had made an unsuccessful at
tempt yesterday to escape by sea.
German military observers said
thick columns of smoke musiToomed
over the one-time capital of the
Cars as Nazi artillery rained shells
into Leningrad's factory districts.
The Moscow radio said 81 900 Axis
soldiers had been killed or wounded
in four days OF fighting as the bal
for Leningrad intensified in violence.
On the Ukraine front, Soviet dis
patches said the Germans were
driving hard toward Rostov, whose
fall might provide the erea- turning
point in the Southern Russia con-
hict and plunge Britains powerful
armies of the Middle Eas1 into ac-
tion. Estimates of the British Mid
die East forces range from 100000
TO 100000 men.
Drive Has Been Forecast.
London sources have predicted
freely that if the Germans cap -ure
Rostov, the green light would be
flashed to Gen. Sir Archibald P.
Wavells imperial forces to MAJ en-
through Iran PERSIA and estab-
lish a new British fighting front in
the Caucasus
Earlier, London quarters said the
Germans were closing in around
Rostov and imminently threatening
to overrun the entire Donets River
industrial basin. They then said the
German armies still were 80 to 40
miles from Moscow at the nearest
point.
Military dispatches from Kuibv-
shev. auxiliary Soviet capital. said
German troops had scored a l5-mile
advance yesterday to within 50 miles
OF Moscow.
The British radio, heard in New
York by N. B. c.. said German
planes were raiding Moscow day and
night with explosive and incendiary
bombs and showers of leaflets de-
manding the city's surrender.
The German high command in its
eommunique today made no specific
mention Of the great battles around
Moscow
Military advices reaching London
said the Germans already had sue
ceeded in knocking most of the
Donets Basins war foundries out of
action, with several key points actu-
ally in Nazi hands and others iso-
lated by crippled communication
lines.
The Moscow radio, however, in
sisted that Kharkov still was in So
Wet possession. Official German re-
ports said the city fell last Friday.
Adolf Hitler's field headquarters.
picturing the Russians as on the
run. today reported entry into the
tank production city of Kramatorsk.
The city was declared entered yes
terday. Kramatorsk is on a tribu-
tary Of the Donets River.
Other Towns Claimed.
Thus the Soviet Union lost one
OF its biggest tank factories" the
Fazi communique said.
Other important industrial towns
were taken by Hungarian units. Pur-
suit OF the retreating enemy is being
continued"
German front-line dispatches
said bad weather was proving a
powerful ally OF the Russians, but
asserted the Red armies already
were defeated from military point
OF view and that a break in the
weather would bring the destruction
OF remaining Soviet forces and thus
conclude the war in the east ac-
cording to German plans
The Soviet Information Bureau
(see WAR, Page A-I3,)