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On April 28, the 2nd Belarussian Front forces drove the enemy out of the towns of Eggesin, Torgelow, Pasewalk, Strasburg, Templin, which were key enemy strongpoints in western Pomerania, and the large settlements of Rieth, Luckow, Gammer, Waldesches, Blumenhagen, Guterberg, Taschenberg, Kraatz, Parmen, Weggun, Boitzenburg, Hardenbeck, Hassleben, Gerswalde, Ringenwalde and Friedrichswalde as well. In excess of 1,000 prisoners were taken and 70 aircraft seized at airfields on April 27.
The 1st Belarussian Front troops carried on street fighting in Berlin, having taken the northwest section of the Charlottenburg district all the way to Bismarck Strasse, the western half of the Moabit district and the eastern section of the Schoneberg district. Over 9,000 prisoners were taken and more than 100 field guns, 135 machineguns, 1,800 wheeled vehicles and 50 military gear depots were captured on April 27.
The 1st Ukrainian Front forces fought on the streets of the southwest part of Berlin, seizing the Friedenau, Grunewald and Ruhleben districts and link up there with the 1st Belarussian Front troops who had taken Siemensstadt. The 1st Belarussian Front and 1st Ukrainian Front troops encircled a large enemy force in a forested lake area southeast of Berlin and began a mop-up operation. The 1st Ukrainian Front troops on April 27 took more than 18,000 prisoners, of whom 14,000 fought with the enemy force encircled southeast of Berlin. in addition, 55 tanks, 268 field guns, 2,150 wheeled vehicles, 39 steam engines, 900 railroad cars and 150 military gear depots were seized. In Czechoslovakia, the 2nd Ukrainian Front troops kept on attacking, capturing such settlements, as Popovice, Kunovice, Zeravice, Kijev, Zarosice, Rasovice, Letonice, Kozlany, Bohdalice, Nemojany and Tabrovany. No major changes were reported on the other parts of the front. 170 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns were damaged and destroyed and 41 enemy planes were shot down in aerial combat and by anti-aircraft guns on April 27 on all fronts.
from "RIA Novosti" archives
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