ALLEGED SHELLING BY FINNS ACROSS FRONTIER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 November 1939, Page 5

ALLEGED SHELLING BY FINNS ACROSS FRONTIER

Soviet Demands Withdrawal of Troops HELSINKI VERSION OF THE FACTS ONLY SHOOTING ON RUSSIAN SIDE (By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, November 27. A Russian, communique has accused Finnish troops of fixing seven shells across the frontier near Mainil, killing four and wounding nine Soviet troops, including officers, states a Moscow message. The communique states: “This act of provocation has caused tremendous indignation among the troops.” The Soviet Prime Minister, M. Molotov, protested io Finland against the shelling incident and demanded the withdrawal of troops on the Karelian Isthmus to 124 miles from the frontier. He added that the Soviet did not wish to exaggerate the importance of the incident. A Havas (French) news agency message from Leningrad states that several persons were killed in Soviet territory during artillery practice in Finland. A Helsinki message says the Finnish Foreign Office states that inquiries reveal that no shots were fired from the Finnish side of the frontier. It adds that Soviet troops have been exercising with mortars on the Russian side. The Helsinki correspondent of the Associated Press says that the Finnish Prime Minister, Professor Cajander, denied any shooting by Finns on the eastern frontier. The Foreign Office spokesman suggested that the Russians might have been killed accidentally and the blame placed on Finland.