Finns Defeat New Russian Attacks

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 2, 3 January 1940, Page 7

Finns Defeat New Russian Attacks

VIOLENT FIGHTING IN THE SOUTH HELSINGFORS, Jan. 1. Finland still holds her own. New Russian attacks on the Mannerheim Line, preceded by artillery barrages, resulted to-day la violent fighting on the Karelian Isthmus, the southern front, and also on the opposite side of Lake Ladoga around Kitela. The Finns repulsed the Russian attacks. The defenders, feeling secure along the entire 600 miles of the eastern front north of Lake Ladoga, ere taking the initiative in all sectors. They are making a threat to Salmijariv, the nickel-mining town in the far north to which the Russians were recently repulsed. The town is untenable as a Russan base, but the the temperature, 40 degrees below zero, is slowly immobilising this front. A Finnish communique states that the fighting on December 31 was most severe between Lakes Hatjan aud Moula and the Suvanto and Taipale rivers, but that the enemy attacks were futile. Patrol activity occurred elsewhere, particularly north-east of Lake Ladoga. Russian planes flew over Norway from Petsamo, the Finnish port in the extreme north, and dropped two bombs in the river Pasig. Good flying weather enabled the Russians to carry out numerous air-raids on southern towns, killing 20 civilians, but the material damage was small except at Jyvaskylawasa. Finnish planes dropped bombs in the rear of the Russian lines. It is unofficially stated ‘hat six Rusian pianes were brought dawn. President Kallio, of Finland, in the course of a ’sew Year broadcast, announced ihe Russians would soon meet detachments of foreign volunteers. The Swedish radio stated to-day that 50,000 Russian troops were massed at Leningrad en route to Karelia. The Finnish tactics in overcoming the Russians at Kiantajarvi, where they claim to have wiped out a division, consisted in surrounding them and si;.rving them out preparatory to their annihilation, despite the inferiority of numbers and equipment. Tho Russians, who hoped to drive through to the Gulf of Bothnia in order to break Finland’s military backbone, blundered into the area between the arms of Lake Kianta. They could have fought their way out in normal weather, but the Finns isolated them, cut off their supplies, and left exposure and lack of food to do their deadly work. Then they attacked on the tenth day. The Russians resisted for three days, but it was all over on the fourth. Thousands of the invaders were slaughtered. Few of the survivor? were- strong enough to stand