The Rome radio claims that heavy losses have been inflicted on the DNB. official German news agency, announced that the Germans on Monday pierced the Soviet fortified line ón the northern front after 18 hours of fighting. Russian prison-frs taken during the battle included Asiatic troops, D.N.B. added.
The agency claimed that the Germans had carried out the assault by using massed troops and in bitter hand-to-hand fighting had overcome Soviet resistance. A
Pursuit of the retreating Soviet forces was taking place over the entire eastern front, and German troops between July 2 and July 5 took over 142,000 Russians prisoner, D.N.B. added.
Despite obstinate Soviet resistance, the German-Rumanian combined assault forces captured many defence lines and feld positions. D.N.B. added. The agency said that many prisoners and much war material were captured, including 584 tanks, seve' armoured trains and 550 guns—United Press.
The German news reports that the whole of northern Bessárabia has been occupied.
'A Finnish communique claims a 10- mile advance over the Russian front-jer and the capture of a town.
The Germans are still throwing tank units into battle, apparently without decisive- effect. Latest neutral reports emphasize that a true picture of the situation cannot be visualized only in relation to the latest German advances.
Unless the Germans achieve a real break through in the next few days there may be a considerable pause in their efforts, it is stated in authoritative quarters in London.
It is pointed out that experience in modern mechanized warfare shows that the strain of driving armoured fighting vehicles begins to tell on the troops by the time they have been doing it continuously for a fortnight.
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