Evening star., 1941-12-04
Russians Also Trying
To Breuk Out of
SevostopoI Ring
~ tho AsSoc1s'-d Press

~ tho AsSocls'-d Press
LONDON. Dec. 4.-Red Army
troops were declared today TO
have driven the Germans be-
yong Taganrog in a scattered
and disorganized rout and
Knocked out virtually four Axis
divisions in the southern front
counteroffensive.
The drive beyond Taganrog, 40
miles west of Rostov, was announced
in a KuibyShev dispatch which said
that the Germans were in full re-
treat toward Mariupol 60 miles far
ther along the coast Of the Sea OF
Azov
German military dispatches
received in Berlin said that de-
spite losses described as tremen-
dous. the Red Army still was at
tacking in force west of RoStov
and in the Donets Basin and
German troops we're reported
fighting back in a defensive
stand.
These reports from the front
said Italian and Slovak units had
been brought into the fight and
declared that the Russians were
being stopped.
A new note from the southern
front came from the Crlmea.
where dispatches said Russian
troops we're CounterattaCklng IN
an attempt 10 break out of the
encircled Seyastopol naval base.
The high command said Rus
sian attacks in the Donets Basin
had been repulSedD
Bitter Cold and SNOW.
Russians fighting through fierce
winds. bitter cold and snow so deep
as to stall their own motor units
also claimed fresh gains in the two
month-old battle Of MOSCOW
The German offensive on the
Moscow front is slackening. a CORE
sDondent for the Moscow paper
Pravda. reported.
He said tire Germans actually had
p sod 10 the defense i'll the Kiln
area nor'h Of Moscow and that 2
see--aw battle was in progress in
the VolokolamsS area northwest of
the capital
The Russians were said 10 have
occupied several villages around
Volokolqmsk while being forced TO
Weld others.
The situation was said 70 be most
serious" in the M07hSisk sector 81
miles west cf Moscow. with the Ger
mans irving - move eastward be-
tween the Vo,okolamsk Mozhalsk
highways
More Villages Claimed.
German plans TO crt off Lenlnerad
from the east ~-ere declared TO have
been frustrated by Russian soldiers
who killed more than 5000 invaders.
destrored 30 tanks and recsptured
several more villages in the vicinity
OF Tikhvin.
six thousand Russian men and
officers were captured when the
troopship in which they were
fleeing from Hango to to Lenln-
grad was damaged by German
Finnish mine barrage and was
taken in tow bv two German pa
troll boats. the German high COM
mand announced at Berlin.
The Germans also said Fin
nish troops had re-occupled
Hsneo. a naval base and fort at
the entrance to the Gulf OF FIN
land which Russia leased In the
settlement OF the l939-40 RUS
sian-Finnish war.
In flight from Hango the r.
nOo-ton Soviet troopshlp Stain
was damaged by three mines.
communique said. Two German
boats with a total crew Of 80 men
then towpd her TO German base.
"A quantity of war material
Also was seized on the boat. the
high command said
Still Claim Initiative.
More than 200 miles north OF
The Rostov- -Mariupoi fighting the
Russians still claimed the initiative
in the Kharkov sector after launch
Ing counterattack November %.
1t. Gen. +. BOOln, WTllllR III tic
army newspaper Red Star yesterday
said the Germans were calling re-
serves. including RumanianS. for
operations in the Kharkov theater.
The initiative now is in Russian
hands" Gen. Bodin wrote. but the
strength OF the Germans is not
crushed. The enemy has many tanks
and reserves"
Finland said the Russian gar
riSon Of the Hango naval base was
withdrawing. with the hope Of escap-
ing by ship through the Gulf OF Fin
land to Leningrad, and the Vichy-
controlled Martinique radio COM
mented that this would remove an
CSee RUSSIAN, Page A-4D