Evening star., 1941-10-21
Donets Arms Center Captured,
Berlin Claims; Nozis Reported
Only Fifty Miles From Moscow
Soviet Resistance in
Baltic Area Broken,
Germans Declare
81 the Associated Press.

81 the Associated Press
Adolf Hitler's high command
announced a new blow to the
backbone of RuSSia'S war found
ries today with the capture of
Stalino, huge armaments center
100 miles north of RoStov-on-
Don. and on the central front
Nazi troops were reported within
so miles of Moscow.
Informed London quarters, pic
turing the Moscow area as af1ame
with vast and bloody battles of
tanks. infantry and artillery, said
it was "a good guess" that the Ger
mans had scored a 15-mile advance
from the Maloyaroslavets sector,
65 miles southwest of Moscow, after
six days OF violent tank assaults.
Soviet armored forces, however,
were said to be fiercely resisting in
this sector, and Red Army counter
attacks near Kalinin, 95 miles
northwest of Moscow, were reported
to have thrown the Nazis back
across the Tver River
The German high command said
Nazi and Italian troops. smashing
into Russia's vital Donets River in
dustrial basin, source OF rich sup
plies of iron. coal and manganese,
captured Stalino yesterday.
Lies on Main Rail Line.
Stalino, a city OF 455,000 popula-
ton. lies on one of the two main
rail lines between Moscow and the
great Caucasian oil fields.
The German high command in
special communique also announced
that Dago Island had been cap
tured. thus wiping out the powerful
Russian naval and air base on the
group of islands in the Baltic on
the Estonian coast. The Germans
previously had announced capture
Of Osel, Mufu and Vormsi islands
In the group.
The capture of Dago Island was
credited to an infantry division
which made a surprise landing on
the islands southern tip October II.
Ten DAYS of stubborn fighting fol-
lowed. during which the Germans
Systematically combed' the island
for Red troops, it was said.
500, 900 Reported Captured.
Three thousand prisoners were !
taken and six coastal artillery bat |
teries were silenced, the high COM
mand added.
Germans said with the taking OF |
Dago all Russian resistance in the
Baltic area was broken.
It's capture. the Nazis said. brought |
10 a close an entire phase OF the |
Russian campaign in which the aim
was to defeat Russian forces stand
ing between Lakes linen and Peipus, !
shut off the fortress of Lenlngrad
from the south and cleanse EStonla
and the Baltic Islands of the
enemy"
The Germans have captured more
than 100000 prisoners and captured
or destroyed 1881 armored vehicles
and 4063 guns =on this front since
August 6, when a detailed report was
last made the high command said.
Their most important operations |
goal was reached by the encircle-
ment of Leningrad," the statement |
said. Desperate attempts OF the |
Soviet forces enclosed in Leningrad |
to break out were in every case |
warded off with heavy losses to the |
enemy"
Soviet dispatches acknowledged .
that Marshal Semeon Budyenny's |
Ukraine armies, desperately pressed
by the intensified Nazi assault, had |
to new lines near Tagan-
rog. only 80 miles west of Rostov, |
gateway to the Caucasus. The Ger
mans have claimed Taganrog's fall
yesterday.
Official Russian accounts of the .
20-day-old battle for Moscow said |
the capitals defenders, strengthened
hourly by a civilian army. were hold
ing fast under a terrific hammering.
Soviet Counterattacks.
At several points, the Russians de-
elared, Soviet counterattacks have
turned back the Nazi offensive over
battlefields covered with snow.
A bulletin from Adolf Hitler's field |
headquarters, describing Stalino as |
one of the most important arma-
ment centers in the Donets Basin,
said Axis forces took the surround |
ing region yesterday and that
''Stalino itself was taken by Alpin- |
lists" These might be either Ger
man or italian troops.
The Reich's war flag is flying |
from one of the most important in
dustrial plants in this city" the
German nigh command said,
New Encirclement Move Hinted.
Nazi military commentators re-
ported that the southern Axis armies |
were led by picked units of Hitler's |
own elite guard. They indicated |
that Rostov soon would probably |
become the pivot for gigantic new |
movement to take the !
Donet Basin.
On the bloody central front be-
fore Moscow, the German high COM
mand said Gen. Petrov. identified |
as commander in chief of the Rus
sian 5Oth Army and a member of |
the Supreme Soviet Council, had |
been found dead on the battlefield |
1See RUSSIA Page A-4l