On April 25, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces overran the last German strongpoint at the Samland Peninsula, the city and fortress of Pillau, which is also a major port and naval base on the Baltic. They also took such settlements as Lochstadt, Neuhauser, Himmelreich, Plantage and Kamstigall.

The 1st Belarussian Front forces blocked all the way running form Berlin westwards and linked up with the 1st Ukrainian Front troops northwest of Potsdam, having completed the encirclement of Berlin.

The 1st Belarussian Front forces took the towns of Elsthal, Rohrbeck and Markwardt and seized Berlin’s suburbs of Falkensee, Falkenhagen and Lagerdeberitz. At the same time, our troops continued to fight on the streets of the northern, eastern and southeastern parts of Berlin, having assumed control of the districts of Treptow and Britz. The towns of Muhlrose and Friedland were captured southwest of Franfurt-am-Oder. On April 24, the Front’s troops took more than 3,500 prisoners and seized 297 aircraft, 110 field guns, 1,130 wheeled vehicles, 16 steam engines and 1,311 railroad cars.

The 1st Ukrainian Front forces drove the enemy out of the town of Ketzin and southwest Berlin’s districts of Lichterfelde and Zelendorf. North of Kottbus, our troops took over 40 settlements, including the town of Peitz and large villages of Dissen, Burg, Krausnik and Briesen. Northwest of Dresden, our troops crossed the Elbe and seized the town of Risa on the western bank. In the vicinity of Bautzen, the Red Army repelled several counterattacks by large enemy infantry and tank forces, having inflicted heavy losses. On April 24, over 3,000 prisoners were taken and 22 aircraft and 70 field guns were captured.

The 1st Ukrainian Front forces liberated the former French prime minister, E. Herriot, west of Berlin. 

Northwest of the Czechoslovak town of Hodonin, the 2nd Ukrainian Front forces continued their attack, seizing over 50 settlements, including Milesovice, Linhartske-Vazany, Blazovice, Tvarozna, Lisen, Cernovice, Priszenice, Ostopovice and Omice, and attacked the outskirts of the city of Brno. 18 enemy aircraft were seized at an airfield south of Brno.

Reconnaissance operations and local fighting continued throughout the rest of the front.

76 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns were damaged and destroyed and 99 enemy aircraft were downed in aerial combat and by anti-aircraft guns on all fronts on April 24.