Evening star., 1941-07-07

Line. a night-long battle was said
to have broken up a tank pointed
attempt by motorized infantrymen
TO break through the Ostrov region
toward Pskov, an anchor OF the
Stain Line.
In the night fighting, our troops
inflicted on the enemy tanks heavy
defeat" said a Russian communique
Likewise repulsed. according to
the Russians, were German attacks
aimed at forcing the Dvina River
line. near Polotsk. northwest OF
Orsha. and thrusts into the Ukraine
in the vicinity of Novograd Volynski
and into Bessarabia at unspeclf1ed
points.
South OF Polotsk. in the Lepel
region, where the Germans were
seeking to outf1ank the Berezina
River defenses in drive toward
Orsha. the invaders were said TO
have taken a defensive stand follow
ing counterattacks against motorized
troops.
"OStUW EvloNCus
A voluntary removal of children
from Moscow is under way, al
though it was said officially tonight
there is no compulsion for them to
leave.
Many parents want to take them
away because Of the psychological
effects of possible bombings, and the
government affords them full aid
it was said.
Some of the children are being
taken by bus to country towns.
A fire-fighting system connected
with the air raid defense service
also is being organized to supple
ment regular fire forces.
Red Army wounded, meanwhile.
are reported being brought here
from the front, then sent on further
to the east.
Destroyer Sinkings Claimed.
At sea. the Soviet communique
reported battle yesterday between
Russian destroyers and enemy
warships at the mouth of Riga Bay
in which two enemy" destroyerS
were said to have been sunk. An
enemy" submarine also was re-
ported sunk in a minefield in the
Gulf of Finland
No substantial changes were re-
ported overnight in the positions oi
the clashing Soviet and German
armies locked along the vast battle
front, where the Red Army's counter
attacks in some places were said
to have thrown the Nazis onto the
defensive.
Of the key positions along the
fighting front a Moscow communi-
que declared:
During last night fighting con-
tinued in the direction of Ostrov
Polotsk, Lepel and Novograd Volyn-
ski
I'm the Ostrov direction ou1
troops repulsed repeated attempt,
by enemy motorized and mechanical
troops to break through toward the
northeast. In night fighting our
troops inflicted on the enemy 9
heavy defeat
I'm the Polotsk direction heavy
fighting took place with the enemy
who attempted to force the west
ern Dvina, but all his attempts were
repulsed with heavy losses to him
In the Lepel direction the enemy
following our counterttack against
his mechanical troops, went over
to the defense. Fighting contin-
ueS.
IN the Novograd Volynski direc-
ton enemy motorized troops at
tempted to break through toward
the east but by counteraction of
our troops all the enemy attempts
were repulsed. -.
In the Bessarabian sector of the
front the enemy, suffering very
heavy losses, was thrown back to
his previous position.
Drive Declared BIunted.
Heavy fighting continued along .
400-mile front from Estonia to the
PinSk marshes in Southern White
Russia and along the 400 miles
stretching south from the marshes
to the Black Sea, but the Russians
said heavy losses had blunted the
Nazi drive to the east.
In its third week, the war still was
q gargantuan test OF power between
troops and guns on wheels, with
large-scale tank fights raging near
Ostrov, just east Of the Estonia- Lat.
via border; 'Lepel, in the lake coun-
(see MOSCOW, PsEeeS-5J