MANNERHEIM LINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25566, 20 June 1944, Page 5

MANNERHEIM LINE

PIERCED BY RED ARMY ADVANCING ON VIIPURI (Rec. 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, June 19. Russian troops are pouring through the gap tom in the centre of the Mannerheim Line, the last Finnish defence system covering Viipuri, and advanced Soviet forces are only 17 miles from the town. Assault units are moving up through the gap for the drive on Viipuri. A Soviet communique states: “Troops on the Leningrad front of the Karelian Isthmus to-day, as the result of an impetuous infantry and tank advance, supported by artillery and planes, penetrated the third line of the Mannerheim Line defences. The Russians broke through in the area of Muurila, 30 miles south of Viipuri, and occupied the town and port of Bjorko (this is the modern name for Kovisto), and also occupied over 100 inhabited places, including several railway stations.” The Moscow radio to-night said the Finns on the Karelian Isthmus are retreating in such haste that the Red Army cften finds the remains of meals still warm on the plates. They have no time to remove military trains. Even factories have been found in full working order. The Finnish Prime Minister, Professor Edwin Linkoitiies, in a broadcast, said: “ The Russians have achieved considerable success in the initial stages of their offensive, but we are ready to face the danger calmly.” The British United Press Stockholm correspondent says Swedish observers are disappointed because they expected Linkomies to announce a new peace move.

A Moscow supplementary communique says Russian planes off the northern coast of Norway sank a 10,000ton German transport and a patrol ship.

Russian torpedo-boats off the Finnish coast ’sank two transports totalling 14,000 tons and set fire to four escort ships. The Baltic Fleet Air Arm sank two Finnish transports in Viipuri Gulf. The Red Air Force twice made concentrated raids on Viiborg, destroying three locomotives and 200 wagons.

The Russian Air Force last night dealt massed blows on enemy aerodromes in the Pinsk-Minsk area, causing numerous fires and explosions, says a Moscow air communique. The Russians destroyed or damaged a large number of German planes. One Russian plane did not return. Moscow radio says General Govorov has been promoted Marshal of the Soviet Union.