ISLAND OF BJORKO TAKEN BY RUSSIANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 February 1940, Page 5

ISLAND OF BJORKO TAKEN BY RUSSIANS

Serious Penetration of Finnish Defences

THREAT TO FLANK OF MANNERHEIM LINE

STRUGGLE FOR THE COMMAND OF VIBORG

The Finns have abandoned the island of Bjorko, in the Gulf of Finland. The fortifications of this island, at the western end of the Mannerheim Line, were one of the strongest points of the line. The loss is announced in the latest Finnish communique. . Nothing is said about the fate of the defenders, but it is believed that they escaped over the ice to the mainland. The batteries on 'the island were an important factor in holding up the Russian advance on land and in preventing attempts by Soviet naval forces to land troops behind the Mannerheim Line. They also stopped Russian tank operations. The loss is regarded as serious. Elsewhere the Finns are holding their positions on the second line of defence and in one sector have counter-attacked and claim to have captured a strong point. Viborg has now lost many of its buildings by bombardment. r lhe Russian forces are no more than six miles from the town but several lines of defences will have to be overcome before they can capture the city and this can only be done at tremendous cost. The Finns report much activity in the air and claim to have destroyed five Russian planes for certain. The Finnish retreat, it is stated, is caused not by lack of men but by a shortage of ammunition and artillery. The Finnish position on the Karelian Isthmus is now considered far from promising. The Finnish Foreign Minister, M. Tanner, in a speech, said that the Russian offensive on the Karelian Isthmus would not have made any progress if the foreign help now arriving had come a month earlier. He added that the Finns still needed planes, heavy artillery and men. “We still have no objections to friendly mediation, from whatever quarter the offer comes, ’ ’ he said. The fighting on the extreme west of the Mannerheim area has developed into a struggle for the command of the Viborg inlet, which is frozen over (states a Press Association message). The Russians have occupied the shore of the Gulf of Finland as far as Kaislahti, north of Bjorko. A Finnish communique emphasises the increased activity of the Finnish artillery, which broke up strong enemy forces on the isthmus and north-east of Lake Ladoga. At Suomussalmi, on the central front, a Soviet detachment which crossed the frontier was driven back, the communique adds.