RUSSIAN ARMY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 11

RUSSIAN ARMY

ADVANTAGE OF RETREAT

FINNS FOLLOWING UE

(Daventry Broadcast.) LONDON, Friday Night.

The Russian forces which aimed at cutting Finland's waist-line are still retreating, and at some points have fallen back 30 miles. Finnish 'patrols' have followed the retreat closely, and fighting is reported this morning at a point about 20 miles west of Salla.

The Russians seem to have learnt their lesson from their previous difficulties, and by falling back they have saved the greater part of their material and are now in a position which is easier to defend in the event of encirclement.

The Soviet communiques are silent about the Salla sector; they make the familiar statement that operations have been confined to patrol activity and some artillery fire.

This morning's Finnish communique refers only to air activity.

Three hundred bombs were dropped by Russian raiders on southern and south-western Finland yesterday, but only slight damage was done. Some northern localities were bombed, but without effect. There was an air-raid alarm in Helsinki this, " afternoon. Shortly afterwards Soviet raiders dropped bombs on the outskirts of the city, a:«d some fires were started. The centre of the city was unharmed. Antiaircraft guns went into action, and it is believed that the raiding aircraft failed to reach their objective.

Finland today called up for service in the military police thousands of men who hitherto had been exempt from military service.