STAND BY FINNS

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 268, 6 December 1939, Page 3

STAND BY FINNS

RUSSIAN THRUST REINFORCING . TROOPS DEE ENI WM 8? HEROISA [ \ AERIAL SUCCESSES , ■ MOSCOW DISCLAIMERLONDON, Dee. 4, Finnish official circles report a diminution of the lighting against the Russian invasion, owing to the continued snowstorms, but according to the Helsinki correspondent of the .British United Press hostilities have not entirely ceased in the Arctic area, including the locality of Petsamo. A Air. Simeox, the Canadian manager of the.nickel works at Kalosgoki, near Salmijarvi, states that the Russians are landing 13000 l'oinforcemeats and are meditating an attack in the direction of Lauti, whence the whole of the civilian population has been evacuated, only soldiers remaining. 'These are intensely active along the i-oadl ITom Petchcngo- to the Arctic port of Liinalinmari, 1 preparing to withstand the Russian advance. Three hundred to 400 Swedes have joined up for service with Finland. Twenty thousand Finnish soldiers hold the lines in north Finland. The foremost lino from .Petsamo southwards is slightly to the east of the so-called Arctic highway. Others are 30 miles farther west, closer to Norway and touching Salnmjarvi. All are first-line troops with first-class equipment.. Finnish airmen claim many successes. One reports killing 4.1. Russian soldiers with single hursts ol machinegun bullets. Another airman attacked ii .Russian squadron single-handed and brought down one machine and damaged others. The Alayo'r of Helsinki says the evacuation has so far proceeded that further bombing will bo a mere wanton destruction ol buildings. r l cn-day passed quietly.

A Aloseow message quotes the Soviet journal Pravda, which states that Russia docs not intend to .seize territorv belonging to Finland, S-w'ctl.en, Norway, or .Denmark, her only aim. bein cr to “liheraU- the Finns from oppressors and from the war-mongers, namely Professor Oajander, Al. Krkko, M. Tanner, and Field Mlarslml Alannorheim. it- adds that the Red Army will leave. Finland immediately, the people’s Government finds it necessary.

The British United • Press correspondent at Moscow says that Soviet airmen received orders on Friday not to bomb civilians. Pravda comments: “These orders wore superfluous, because Soviet airmen are too humanitarian to light- unarmed people.” Nikolai Virkti, a corresjm.iident of the .Pravda from Karelia, asserts that land mines of British origin are everywhere. Authoritative circles in London deny the employment of British land mines in 1' inland.