RAPID RETREAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25562, 15 June 1944, Page 5

RAPID RETREAT

FINNS ABANDON TOWNS HEAVV RUSSIAN PRESSURE (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 14. The Finns are retreating so rapidly on the Karelian Isthmus that they are abandoning towns, and the -countryside is intact, says the Moscow radio. The Stockholm correspondent of the Daily Express, dealing with the Russian break-through in the Karelian Line, says: “The Russians weeks before dug tunnels to within 100 yards of the Finnish positions, from which they emerged at zero hour. They also brought the heavy guns closer than ever, one monster gun being hauled to within 1400 yards of the enemy ime where it fired 140 shells over open sights at a big Finnish pillbox, causing the roof to collapse.” Russian pressure is heaviest along the Viborg (Viipuri) highway towards the former Mannerheim Line, according to a Moscow message. Tanks are operating, although the dense forests, swamps, and water barriers preclude mass tactics. The Russians apparently have air superiority. The Finns are stated to be well armed with German weapons, including Ferdinand and Whippet tanks and large-calibre guns, but the Russians have crushing superiority in all arms. The veteran Tenth Finnish Division suffered heavy losses m the first day’s fighting. ~ . ~ It is assumed in London that the Russian objective is the industrial and agricultural area between Viborg and Helsinki. Quite apart from the possible political consequences if the Russians gained this region, with the ports of Helsinki and Kotka, the Finnish forces in the interior would be placed in a difficult situation. Finnish resistance stiffened during the third day of the Russian offensive, as reinforcements were brought up from the Viipuri region, and some order was re-established in the ranks of the units falling back before General Govorov’s drive, says The Times Moscow correspondent. The Soviet advance, however, has lost none of its impetus, and, though the Russians are fanning out to suppress pockets of resistance, powerful armoured forces in compact formation continue the main drive along the chief lines of communication. At present there is scarcely any darkness in these regions, and the fighting is incessant. The Helsinki correspondent of the Stockholm Aftonbladet reports that the Russians, after a violent artillery barrage, launched an attack against the German-held Liza River sector on the Arctic front. The Liza runs into the Arctic Ocean about 35 miles west of Murmansk. The Finnish communique makes no reference to this attack. -It says that the Russians in the western part of the Karelian Isthmus continued particularly fierce attacks supported by artillery, and all the thrusts were repelled. Hard fighting continusd all day in the Vammelsuu-Kivenapa sector.