Helsinki, Dec, 31.
RTY thousand hard-bitten and seasoned Russian fighters from Russia's Far Eastern Army, fresh from recent smashing victories over Japan on the Manchoukuo border, were reported to have arrived on the central Finnish front last night in an effort to break through Finland's solid Mannerheim me.
General G, M, Stern, youthful veteran of the Manchoukuo battles and successor to Marshall Vasselii Bluecher, former commander of the Russian Far Eastern Army, also was reported to have arrived on the Finnish front to take over command of the Russian forces between Murmansk and the north shore of Lake Ladoga.
The Far Eastern Red Army under. Gen, Stern was reported to have been centred at a point where Finland is narrowest, \dicating another possible Russian drive in an effort to cut Finland in half.
The Finnish High Command ai nounced last night that Russian forces at dawn yesterday again attempted {o cross Lake Suvanto but were again driven. back.
"Tampere, an important industrial and communications centre, " was raided by Russian bombers yesterday. Estimates of the damage inflicted have not yet been received here. Between fifty and sixty bombs, how-fever, were dropped by the Russians fon Banke. Half of a large hospital was destroyed and five houses were burned, Finnish reports said. Ten persons were wounded during the Russian raid, the reports said.
Several smaller places also were bombed but the air raid alarm was of sounded here in the capital.
The Finnish High Command said in a communique last night that Soviet artillery was very active on the Karelian "Isthmus" where General Meretskov was understood to have been left in command of Russian forees. Artillery fire also was heavy at other points, the communique said, but on the whole the day was rela-lively quiet. On the eastern. front, however, the Finns repulsed a Soviel attack in the direction of Kitila, north-west of Lake Ladoga, the com: munique said.
Russian forces were reported to have pushed across the frontier at Kuhmo and advanced in the direc-of Keikk!, Fighting on the Soumussalmi front, which has raged savagely for days, still continued near Lake Kiantijoervi yesterday. Two Russian planes were Feported to have been shot down over the area on Friday—United Press.
Moscow Cor wey Moscow, Dec. 31.
The Soviet High Command announced last night that "nothing of importance occurred on the Finnish front."—United Press,
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