Encirclement in Salla Region

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 11 January 1940, Page 5

Encirclement in Salla Region

NUMBERS OF RUSSIANS ENTRAPPED

HEAVY FIGHTING REPORTED TO HAVE BROKEN OUT IN SECTOR PICKED RED TROOPS MORE MOBILE (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 11th January, 10.10 a.m.) HELSINKI, 10th January. A large number of Russian troops are reported to be starving and freezing to death in the Salla region as a result of Finnish encirclement which is now completed, cutting off the Russians' food supplies. Heavy fighting has broken out at Salla. In this engagement the Russians are employing picked troops who are revealing greater mobility than their predecessors, and the tactics include sending out patrols in an endeavour to surround the Finnish positions. Italian sources state that the railway between Leningrad and Murmansk has again been cut at several points by Finnish patrols. It is learned that at Suomussalmi upward of 2000 Russians surrendered under a flag of truce after three-fifths of their division had been wiped out. _ Among the prisoners is the divisional chief of staff and 40 officers, but the general in command is reported to have been killed.

EFFORT TO BISECT FINLAND (Received 11th January, 1.30 p.m.) HELSINKI, 10th January. Fighting has flared up on the Salla front, where picked Russians are making an effort to bisect Finland 150 miles north of where the waistline efforts failed. The Russians have apparently abandoned the south-western drive in favour of trying to cut'across Finland westward from Salla which they now hold through Kemittrask, the eastern terminus of the seaward railway. Their vanguard is now 50 miles west of Salla. The Russians are attacking strongly in Aittojoki sector north of Lake Ladoga, in the hope of saving a large force near Kitela whose encirclement is threatened.