FINNISH DEFENDERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 18, 22 January 1940, Page 9

FINNISH DEFENDERS

ASSAULTS DRIVEN BACK

SOVIET AIR RAIDS

THOUSANDS OF BOMBS

(Daventry, Broadcast.) ; '/■' LbNDON, Sun^ayNight. , The Finns today claim to have driven back two Russian assaults. -■- According to today's Finnish communique the first i attack was broken j by artillery fire, and the second was hurled back by the Finns' counter-at- j tack, during which the Russians suffered heavy casualties. The communique reports that the Finns have improved; their position north-east of Lake Ladoga where they captured several enemy outposts. if Is now estimated that the Russians dropped" over .3000 bombs on twenty towns and villages yesterday. Several {hundred Soviet planes are reported ■. to ha.ye taken part, and the FinnS: claim, tb have shot down eleven bombers and an observation balloon. Much material damage was done dur-mg-ibe'se raids but,-so far. as is known, the; casualties were small.

Information obtained from Russian airmen: brought, down yesterday shows that the Russians are using Estonian air bases for these raids—at any fate the raids ©n south-west Fin-''land;-;'''.'v •■ -- •';: ■■•.,"; ,:/:. ■. -•; • -:- ■-':;:•.

■■; A ■ special correspondent with the Finnish centre arniy i*eports that the Russians have established themselves in; ; one sector on yth'is -front and; firstclAsa; troops more skilfully led than those of the defeated divisions are reported.; The Russian defeat at this point has hot the battle for- the Salla sector—^-it has merely moved the battle 30 miles nearer the Russian frohtier;.- The f Russians are in stronglydefended positions, ; but. hot in such a good, position for a new offensive. y'

The Finnish army is gradually \fortifyihg the igroiind over which it advarices; The Finnish lines are now •many miles deep, and according to this correspondent, if the Russians ,'attempt to 1 this way in another attempt to fciut" Finland's waistline it probably willibe found riiore difficult than when the! Firms had practically no defences. The correspondent /also comments upon the/rfemirkable speed with, which the Finns Construct defences ;as they ad-^ vahce after the defeated invaders. ;