KARELIAN FRONT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 230, 26 June 1944, Page 5

KARELIAN FRONT

Wide Soviet Break-Through (British Official Wireless.) (Received June 25, 7.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 24. In a special order of the day addressed to General Meretskov Marshal Stalin says: “On the Karelian front troops,, supported on the flank by naval units of the Ladoga flotilla, went over to the offensive north and east of Lodeinoe-Pole, crossed the river Svir on the entire front from Lake Onega to Lake Ladoga and broke through strongly-fortified enemy defence. The Soviet troops in three days’, fighting have advanced from 12 to 19 miles and occupied more than 200 localities.’’ Moscow tonight will give a salute of 20 artillery salvoes from 224 guns, the order concludes. •' , The order reveals that Army General Kiril Meretskov is commander of the Karelian front troops. He was commander on the Volkhov front and at the beginning of this year, in a sweeping offensive, his troops liberated Novgorod and completely cleared 1 of the enemy the railway line from Leningrad to Moscow. Moscow radio revealed, that 12 young Red Army men who swam the river under a murderous fire began the Russian break-through between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega. They established the first observation post on the north bank of the Svir River, directed the Red Army’s artillery fire and held off the Finns till they wfte reinforced. Naval craft of the Lake Ladoga flotilla co-operated in smashing the Finnish line. Finns Fire Forests.

The Finns have started huge forest fires' in an attempt to halt or slow down the advancing Russians, reports the Moscow correspondent of the British United Press. The Soviet Baltic Fleet in the past few days alone has accounted for 54 vessels of various types, including 15 targe transports and two destroyers, says a Moscow message.! Moscow radio reports that the Soviet Air Force maintains control of the air in the Karelian isthmus in spite of reinforced enemy fighters and is giving active support to the ground forces. One Soviet unit alone in the past two days has shot down 29 planes. A Wilhemstrasse. spokesman, speaking over Berlin radio, declared: “Germany will not leave Finland in the lurch.” He described the Russian peace terms as extremely severe and added: “Finland’s case cannot leave us unmoved.” The Finnish radio, _ quoting Finnish spokesmen, said: “Action, not sentiment, is required today. Measures may have to be taken to save Finnish independence which so far have not been contemplated in this war. It is therefore to be hoped that a solution of the present situation will be adopted which will save Finnish and Russian youth.” The German news agency quoted M. Tanner, the Finnish Finance Minister, as saying that a Government reshuffle was “under discussion.”