Evening star., 1941-10-17
Ndzi5pearheads
.Dec|aredBroken
West Of Moscow
industrial District
South of CopitoI
Taken, Reich Says
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associst ted Press.
The battle for Moscow ragged In
decisively today with the Russians
reporting German spearheads blunt
ed in two sectors west of the capital
and the Germans claiming the cap
ture of an important industrial sec
ton south of the city and power
station belonging to the Moscow in
dustrial region.
Authorized Berlin sources also said
the Germans had taken extensive
Ignite mining fields. They did not
further identify the section. The
Germans were said in Berlin TO be
still so miles from Moscow
The Moscow radio reported that
the German attack in the Orel re-
gion, 200 miles sout hof the capi-
tai. had slackened. This conceded
with renewed reports in London
that the Soviet government was
withdrawing to KaZan. However,
the British radio reported that
Joseph tSalin lis known to be still
in the Russian capital"
In the south the Germans reported
that the LuftwafIe was attacking
troopships fleeing captured Odessa
and had sunk or damaged IA mer-
chant ships and destroyed one Soviet
motor torpedo boat of the Back
Sea port.
SpearheadS Broken.
Russian soldiers, fighting savagely
against German attacks west OF
battle lines. held stubbornly to their
battle lines, according to official
Russian reports, and newspaper dis
patches to Moscow asserted they
had broken German spearheads in
the wanna and Kalinin sectors.
The Russian midday communique
acknowledged no gains for the Ger
mans. 1t declared the fighting was
particularly fierce west Of Moscow,
where the Germans ere pounding
at Red positions with unabated
fury.
The Nazi wedges were driven into
the front in heavy fighting We'd
nesday and up to midday Thursday.
Soviet dispatches from the front
lines said, in which tanks. motorized
infantry and small detachments Of
parachute-dropped troops were
used.
Heavy Russian artillery fire halted
the German advance in the wanna
sector, the reports said, but the
general situation there remained
tense.
100 Tanks Break in.
More than 100 tanks supported by
aircraft broke into the Russian posi-
tions in the Kalinin area northwest
of Moscow. but the Russians counter
attacked and drove the Nazis back,
the reports added
Endless streams of motorized in
fantry. trucks and military sup
plies are flowing out of Moscow to-
ward the front, a Moscow broadcast
relayed by the B. B. C. said.
The broadcast, recorded by c. B.
S., said powerful tanks, srmor-
piercing guns and motorcycle dis
patch riders move endlessly through
the capital.
Moscow now breathes the spirit
of the front" it said. Thousands
of workers can be seen receiving
military training while others are
busy building defenses.
The workers of Moscow are pre-
pairing to come face to face with
the enemy"
Describing the aerial assault on
the Russians fleeing from Odessa
the Germans said their bombers
spla ttered Odessa's harbor with
hail of explosives as transports at
tempted in the very final hour to
carry trapped troops to safety from
the burning city.
Direct hits sent six merchant ships
totaling 10000 tons to the bottom.
the high command communique
said. Eight more large merchant
ships were reported effectively hit.
The German high command an
nounced the occupation of the town
and harbor of Odessa.
The Germans said their Rumanian
allies, supported by a few special
detachments OF the German Army
and air force, captured the city
yesterday.
Booty cannot yet be estimated"
the communique said.
The Nazi high command declared
the Russians lost one of their most
important industrial centers in the
fall of Odessa.
The Germans said the pursuit of
the beaten foe" is being continued
between the Sea of Azov and the
Donets Basin. German, Italian,
lCaa INAR pana sl