The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-26

Continued from Page D nish advance on the Karelian Isth- mus was continuing systematically and successfully" It was said that the Russians were unable to halt the Films despite the ruthless em- ployment of men and materiel." DNB said that Finnish troops re- gently took $500 prisoners and de- stroyed 1O7 Russian tanks. The Fionns were reported to have de- stroyed or captured 198 grenade throwers, 800 machine-guns, 10,400 rifles, 425 trucks and tractors, 2, 100 horses and large quantities of other war equipment. The Agency said that 43 Russian planes had been shot down in air battle or by anti aircraft fire during the past few days.
 Heavy, soaking rains, heralding the approach of the autumn "wet" season in Russia, were reported re- liably today to have begged down operations of German Panzer col umns, but bombing planes were said to be carrying out savage, nonstop raids along the entire eastern front.
 Naz informantS reported that the Luftwaffe had sunk two heavily loaded Russian supply barges on the Dnieper north of Kiev and a merchantmen in the Finnish gulf and damaged patrol boat and an 8,OO0-ton trasnport east of Odessa and five speedboats west of Hangoe in the Baltic. They claimed that 85 Soviet planes were destroyed yester- day.
 For the second successive day, there was no official news of opera tions and the combination of bad weather and stubborn Russian re- sistance was believed to have slowed the Nad drives against Leningrad and the Dnieper line. The high command said only that operations were proceeding according to plan."
 Official quarters, however, de- scribed new large-scale operations by the Luftwaffe, which was said to be hammering Soviet positions, communications and supply centers in night-and- day attacks.
 Authorized informants declined to discuss the weather in Russia, but reliable quarters said heavy rains have transformed battlehelds into vast lakes of mud during the last few days.
 An authorized spokesman said the mud and rain reported from Rus sia certainly would not affect Ger man land operations.
 Naxis Find It Difficult
 Neutral military observers after studying reports from the Lenira- grad front suggested that the Rus sians were resisting fiercely and that the Terrain, because of rivers and lakes, was difficult.
 The slowing of operations in the southern Ukraine, long after the high command had reported the whole territory taken, was believed due at least in part to technical problems.
 It was pointed out that the Ger mans must mop up the territory they had taken so far and bring up their supply bases and infantry.
 Dispatches reported the air force intensely active.
 German planes led by dive bon1b- CTS yesterday made rolling" at- tacks against Russian railroad lines and transport and supply routes on the Leningrad, dispatches said, and heavily attacked Russian field bases and artillery batteries in the Tai- linn area.
 A Russian sreiGhter of 5000 tons was damaged severely by bombs In the Gulf Of Finland. it was said.
 On the central front German planes destroyed planes and cut railroad lines. dispatches asserted. An oil depot vas set afire and numerous truck columns and five field guns were destroyed, it was added.
 ln the Ukraine, dispatches aald, German planes destroyed several guns and numerous trucks east ol pniepropstrovsk. East os Kiev, it was sald, German planes destroyed numerous planas ia nn attack bn a Russian aiF ndld and a'lgt Gown