Evening star., 1939-12-10
Russian Port Of
kronstudt Is
Reported Bombed
Dy the Associated Press.

8y the Associated Press.
Reports of widespread Finnish
successes against invading Russian
forces mingled today with Red
Army claims that Soviet troops were
smashing Finnish resistance, ad-
vancing as much as so miles into
Finnish territory.
Finnish troops along the whole
eastern front drove back Russian
attacks "at all places" yesterday and
inflicted losses of numerous tanks,
armored cars and cannon Of the
invaders, the army high command
in Helsinki reported last night
Three enemy planes also were
reported to have been shot down.
The picture of the fighting as
given by the high command dis
closed that the Russians had been
active along virtually the entire
8O0-mile Finnish Russian frontier
The communique indicated the day S
fighting was a continuation OF
various engagements which began
Friday.
Indications appeared that the
Firms may have begun to retallate
against the Russians for devastating
air raids on Helsinki and other Fin
nish cities. Swedish reports from
Helsinki said that Finnish war
planes Yesterday bombed the
Russian port of Kronstadt, 20 miles
west of Leningrad. There was no
indication of damage inflicted.
Reports reaching Rome also salo
the Finnish air force had ralded
Paldiski, the Estonian port which Is
serving Russia as an air and naval
base for action against Finland,
Helsinki has denied similar previous
reports.
Communicate Broadcast.
The Russian claims of advances
into Finnish territory were made
in a Moscow radio broadcast OF
communioue issued by the Lenln-
srad command. 1t said that Rus
SLAMS also penetrated the main Fin
nish defenses along the Talpale
River on the Karelian peninsula.
The longest advances-50 miles
were reported in Central Finland
where Soviet forces were said to
have pushed ahead in the Uknta,
porososero and Petrosavodsk Sec
tors.
After breaking through the Fin
nish defenses along the Taipale, the
communioue said the troops con-
tinued their advance. The point OF
the reported break-through is near
the eastern end of Finland's Man.
nerheim line, a water defense sys-
tenn made up of a chain OF lakes.
In the Arctic, the communlque
said the Soviet forces were smashing
Finnish resistance about 81 miles
south of Petsamo It asserted the
task of clearing mines out OF that
far northern port had been COM
pleted.
Text of Communique.
The communique follows:
During December 9 Soviet
troops engaged in destruction OF
bases and centers of resistance in
the area so kilometers (about 81
miles, south of Petsamo. Clearing
berths in the port of Petsamo OF
mines completed.
I'm the Ukhta, Repola, Poroso-
zero and Petrosavodsk directions
Soviet troops advanced 70-80 kilo-
meters (about 1850 miles, west OF
the state frontier. Having occu-
pied the town of Suomussalmi, So
Wet troops continue to advance in
the direction of Kivelakjure.
On the Karelian Isthmus Soviet
troops, having broken through the
main Finnish defense lines in the
area of the river Taipaleenjoki (Tai-
pale), are advancing with battles in
the direction of Kexholm."
Claim Attacks Repulsed.
Against the Russian claims were
Finnish assertions that their de-
fenses were holding. The high
command eommunique declared
December fighting continued on
the Taipale River on the Eastern
Karelian Isthmus.
THE whole eastern front was the
object of enemy attacks Our troops
offered successful resistance at all
places and the attacks were COM
pletely repulsed.
TN various sectors, numerous en-
emy tanks, armored cars and cannon
were destroyed.
mo naval engagements worth
mentioning.
I'm the air, enemy planes on De-
cember bombarded Laeskelae,
Vaertsilae, Valamo and Mantsin-
saari. The bombing caused no dam
age worth recording. At Suistamo,
enemy flyers machine-gunned civ
lians, wounding several.
Our own airforce performed sew
eral accommodating flights and
bombed enemy troop concentrations
and columns. Our air defenses shot
down three enemy planes
Silent on Hanko Bombing.
Of1cial. quarters in Helsinki
neither confirmed nor denied re-
ports that the Finnish port Hanko
had been bombed by Russian planes.
Dispatches to Copenhagen yesterday
said Russian warplanes had heav-
ily bombed Hanko, Southwest Fin
nish coastal stronghold.
Earlier yesterday 30 British Blen-
helm bombers were reported to have
reached Helsinki to augment the
Finnish air forces. Fifty Italian
planes were said to have been al
ready received.
Working feverishly to strengthen
their already elaborate defense sys-
TEN. Films on the Karelian front
expressed confidence in their abil-
ity to hold on indefinitely along
this line.
New and larger Russian thrusts
were expected, but the Firms be-
ueved they could be thrown back,
too.
Specially trained ski troops pre-
pared for new combat. Finnish
airmen reported that they were
adding to the enemy's woes by fly