The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-09-23
RUSSIA STRIKES
 SOME HARD BLOWS

Continued from Page D
 Semyon Timoshenko's forces on the central front was reported surgine ahead and inflicting heavy losses on the Germans and Russian at- tacks around Odessa were said to have filtered the city's approaches with thousands of enemy dead and wrecked armored cars and guns"
 Authoritative British sources re- ported that Timoshenko appeared to be carrying out e successful counter attack southeast of Smo- lensk in an attempt to rescue the great Russian forces trapped in the Kiev-P Poltava pocket.)
 Russian forces, apparently seek ing to relieve Leningrad by smash ing into the citys hesiegers from the rear, were reported in a dispatch from the front to have killed l5,oo0 Germans in havy fighting near Star aya Russa, in the Lake linen area 140 miles to the south.
 Other Russian forces in the Lem ingrad area were said to have rout- ed the Third German division, which reportedly fled In disorderly retreat leaving 700 dead, after Q violent encounter. A Soviet gain of six miles was claimed.
 Rumanians Hurled Back
 A dispatch to Red Star, Soviet army organ, reported that Russian troops, on the 18th day of the siege of Odessa, had launched a series Of heavy counter attacks that hurled back the Rumanians several miles
 The fIercest fighting was said to have occurred in the southern and western approaches of Odessa, where "thousands" of casualties were re" ported inflicted on the enemy. After a day long battle enemy forces cap tured Marienthal Suburti, but 1t was retaken later by Soviet cavalry, the dispatch reported.
 On the central front, Soviet forces were reported to have killed 300 Germans and wounded about 1000 in one engagement, and killed more than 250 in another encounter.
 The two engagements were said to have cost the Germans IT tanks, five armored cars, 16 field guns, 45 heavy machine-guns. Eight mine- throwers and other war equipment.
 Two Nazi Companies Gone
 Red planes, supporting the land forces, aided in destroying two com- panies of German troops and 25 trucks, 1t was claimed.
 A communique reported that units of the Black Sea Air Force had destroyed nine enemy planes, 10 guns and 34 motor cars Sunday.
 A Red army unit, according to a special dispatch from the Lenin- grad front, counter-attacked against a big German force, fought its way across a German-held bridge over a rive designated as IS" and pro- ceeded six miles into the German lines.
 In token of the spirit of Leningrad, a telephone message from the be- sieged city said a chamber orches- tra rehearsal had been held for the first two parts of the Seventh Sym phony of the young composer, Di- mitri Shostakovich, composed under fire. Critics, hailing the symphony the theme for which is the Russo German war. compared it to Tchai- kowsky,s 1912 overture on the Na- poleonic invasion. it was said.
 Moscow's confidence was reflected air raid blackout restrictions effec- tive today. Streets will remain lighted at night to facilitate move ment of traffic and the total black out will be started only when an air raid alarm is sounded.
 Heavy Losses On Nazis
 On the Central front, in a five day battle, Russian troops inflicted heavy losses on the 123d. 25lst and l02d German infantry divisions, a war communique said, and captured seven field guns. 1s mine throwers, eight machine guns. 2l sub-machine guns and other automotic weapons, more than 1900 artillery shells and several scores of bicycles.