Evening star., 1941-09-17
New Successes
AreC|ained
By Russians
Nozis Hurled Back
In 8-Doy Bottle,
Soviet Declares
Ry the Associated Press.

Army in a smashing counterattack
only 80 miles northeast of Smolensk
has thrown German forces back
westward In an eight-day battle In
which more than 10000 Germans
were killed and wounded, Russian
dispatches from the front said to-
day.
The battle occurred in the direc-
ton of Yartsevo, which Is on the
main highway between Smolensk
and Moscow. Vast quantities of
arms and ammunition were seized,
according to the army newspaper
Red Star.
In London listeners heard the
Moscow radio assert that this bat
tie put the Russians in position
to invest Smolensk.
In Berlin the German high
command reported that the in
vasion of Russia Is developing
into an operation of the greatest
extent" Where this operation is
proceeding the communicate did
not make clearD
Another dispatch reported the
secapture by Leningrad's army de-
tenders of a strategically important
cross roads village lying on one OF
the approaches to the city-a
maneuver declared by the Russians
TO have wrecked German plans for
a new thrust against Lenlngrad 1t
self
Island Reeapture Claimed.
Another Russian success claimed
was the recapture of the Lake
Ladoga island of Tahmasaari from
the Firms. The Soviet Information
Bureau said about 300 Finnish
soldiers and officers were killed and
four launches and two motor boats
sunk in the battles for the island.
The Yartsevo battle was an ex-
tension of the Russian counter
attack of last week in which the
town of Yelnya, so miles east OF
Smolensk, was recaptured. This IN
turn was part of a two-week battle
In the vicinity of Bryansk. $50 miles
southeast of Smolensk, IN which
large German forces were declared
to have been beaten and driven back
westward with the Russians, in pur-
suit, retaking rs villages.
The account of the Yartsevo battle
was written by 1t. Gen. K. Rokos-
sovsky. who was promoted for head
ing the Russian forces in the en-
gagement.
The Yartsevo battle drew away
large numbers of German reserves
which had been massed to strike
toward Yelnya in an attempt to
break through toward Moscow, Gen.
Rokossovsky wrote.
The general Red Army counter
offensive on the central front,
launched at the start of the month,
was unexpected by the Germans,
this Russian leader said. He lndl-
Gated the Yartsevo battle was con-
cluded last week.
Massed Na1i Forces Diverted.
The Russians, he said, widely
used camoufage and concentrated
their forces gradually to hide large
movements, thus amaSsing great
striking power used suddenly to
achieve the main purpose Of divert
ing great numbers OF German
troops.
I'VE successfully fulfilled our
task" he wrote. The Yartsevo REQ
Army detachments, enriched with
experience. now are firmly blocking
the road to Moscow and ready to
fulfill new fighting tasks"
The Red Star Leningrad dispatch
telling of the recapture Of the cross
roads village outside the clyde
scribed as village "P"-warned that
the Germans were concentrating
tremendous firing facilities and
hurting new troops into battle in
order to break the resistance of the
defenders of Leningrad."
Red Star said a million Leningrad
residents were building several
rows of fortifcations around the
city.
The second communiQue issued to-
day said so German tanks were de-
stroyed or captured on the central
sector of the front yesterday. Fight
ing continued along the entire front,
the communique said.
Destruction of 48 German tanks
and armored cars, 81 guns and Is
mine throWers was officially credited
to a Red Army tank brigade in a
single engagement in the vast land
battle for Leningrad.
Island Seizure Thwarted.
A Soviet garrison guarding the sea
front before that second city of the
u. S. S. r. was declared to have
frustrated a renewed German effort
Sunday to seize the Eastonian Island
of Oesel, which dominates Baltic
approaches to the Gulf of Finland.
"As a result of the two days Of
fierce fighting" morning COM
munique said, "the bulk OF the
enemy marine and air landing par
ties was annihilated and the rem
nants were thrown into the sea-"
In these and other recent mari
time engagements Soviet units were
reported to have sunk more than 80
vessels, including seven troop trans
ports, in northern waters.
Again Red Army troops were de-
clared officially to have fought the
enemy along the whole front" yes
terday.
"Our air force operated against
enemy panzer troops, infantry and
artillery" the communique said,
land attacked the enemy air force
on its airdromes and bombed Balcic
"a Rumanian Black Sea porD."
The noon communique declared
q cavalry unit participating in the
German -Rumanian attack on Odes-
ga had been routed.
Soviet bombers supporting Odes-
sa's sea and land defenders were
said to have destroyed % tanks
many infantry bearing vehicles end
an i-aircraft battery.
The communique said "a planes
were destroyed on German air
drome on the northwestern front.
Red Army units in one sector Of
the central front, in addition to de-
-