Evening star., 1941-08-19
Nazis Claim All
Territory West
Of Dnieper
Also Report Seizure
Of Worships Being
Built at NikoIoev
!, the Associated Press.

BERLIN, Aug. .19.-All territory
west of the Dnieper River has
been taken by German and allied
forces and attacks now in prog
ress are aimed at Odessa and
Dnieper River bridgeheads be-
tween Kiev and the Black Sea,
the German high command de-
clared today.
At the same time. the high COM
mand in special communique re-
ported capture of a, 35,000-ton bat
tleship, a l0.000-ton cruiser. four
destroyers and two submarines-all
under construction at Nikolaev. Rus
sia's southern shipbuilding center
and important Black Sea port. which
fell to German troops Sunday.
German sources predicted tonight
that Odessa, great Black Sea port
and naval base. would fall to Ger
man troops and dive bombers In a
matter of days il not hours.
Russia's Black Sea naval units in
service were estimated by informed
sources last Saturday at one battle
ship, one airplane carrier. heavy
cruiser, three light cruisers. two
torpedo-carrying cruisers. five de-
stroyers and 30 submarines.
Floating Dock Captured.
OF the active units, 1t was re-
ported that one gunboat was sunk
and another was severely damaged
in the Nikolaev action. Germans
were said to have captured a float
Ing dock laden with railway engines.
tThe German report that the
battleship captured was under
construction is confirmed by the
authoritative naval publica ton
James Fighting Ships 1t reports
that the keel Of a 35000-ton to
4o.00O-ton battleship was laid at
Niklolaev recently, in addition to
three OF the same size being
built elsewhere
The regular communique issued
later from Hitler's headquarters
used the same wording as the spe-
cial announcement.
Bombers raiding Odessa were de-
clared to have rendered unservice-
able by heavy bombs nine big troop
transport ships and damaged three
warships, including q heavy cruiser" :"
Severe losses were reported to have
been inflicted on the Red Army units
defending Odessa and small bridge
heads on the lower course OF the
Dnieper. .....t..
These were declared to have to-
tailed $4,000 prisoners, "a armored
cars. $50 guns and large number
Of other war materials captured
since the battle of Uman.
In the Kiev and Korosten areas
since August 8, the high command
said, Germans and their allies have
captured 17,750 prisoners, 142 tanks.
123 guns, an armored train and
other supplies
German dive bombers were said
to be turning Soviet attempts to
withdraw from Odessa by sea into
another Dunkerque.
The fate of the Russian forces
still remaining in the port is sealed.
the Lokal Anzeiger proclaimed. 1t
declared that all attempts at en-
barkation were bing smothered by
constant hail of bombs"
Further east, speedy German
panzer units operating under Gen.
Ewald Won Kleist-descendant of a
famous Prussian family which has
numbered IS generals among its
members-were said to be slashing
at the heels of Russian troops at
tempting to cross the Dnieper in A
desperate withdrawal from Nikolaev
naval base.
Mopping- Up Action.
The remnants of four Russian di-
visions were reported mopped up
somewhere between Nikoiaev and
the Dnieper while trying to escape
under cover of darkness and numer-
Gus prisoners were said to have been
taken along the west bank of the
broad stream.
Just where the Germans had
reached the Dnieper was not clear,
though repeated references to the
lower channel" led observers to be-
heve 1t probable the Nazi thrusts
had been made somewhere between
Kherson and Nikopol.
Kherson, near the mouth of the
Dnieper, is about Is miles southeast
Of Nikolaey, capture of which the
Germans announced Sunday. Mix
opol Is about 100 miles northeast
Of Kherson.