Helsinki, Feb. 4.
Over 100 civilians were killed and 100 were wounded yesterday when Russian planes carried oüt extensive air raids throughout Finland, it was officially announced last night.
Red planes again heavily bombed south-west Finland. Over 30 were killed at Kuopio, when seven air raid shelters were struck and at least ten buildings were damaged. Several persons were killed in north-western Finland. The Seinajoki and Vasa districts were heavily hit. The worst material destruction was caused at Lovisa, Kotka, and Viipuri, Two hospitals were struck during raids on Viipuri.
The raids were the most destructive so far in the war, The Russians. flew in mass formations, Many bombs fell on forests and lakes, but in most of the towns that were attacked the civilians had no time to reach shelter or run into the open fields and they were trapped. It was estimated that several thousand bombs were dropped throughout the day.
An official Finnish war communique stated that the Finns repulsed new heavy attacks on the Manner-helm Line on Friday, especially in the central Summa sector, where over 200 Russians were killed and 70 captured. Twenty-five Red tanks and three Russian big guns were captured by the Finns.
North-east of Lake Ladoga 150 Russians were said to have been killed in fighting for the control of the Ladoga islands, which are the chief obstacle in the path of Russian penetration along the north-east shore of the lake. The communique claimed that the Finns destroyed eleven Red tanks in the Kuhmo region.
A Russian attack was repulsed in the Salla area, and 200 Red troops were killed, it was claimed.—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.