Troops of the 3rd BELARUSSIAN Front, continuing to close the encirclement of the enemy’s East-Prussian group, took by storming the towns of WORMDITT and MEHLSACK, important communications centers and powerful enemy defensive strongholds, and took by force the settlements of PLAUTEN, NEUHOF, BORNITT, KLINGENBERG.

North-west of the town of GRUDZIADZ (GRAUDENZ), our troops, attacking along the left bank of the VISTULA River, seized the settlements of GRUPPE, FLOTENAU, BUSCHIN, SKRZINKEN, MIEDZNO, OSZE.

South of the town of STARGARD in POMERANIA, our troops repelled enemy infantry and tank attacks. Simultaneously, in the woods north the town of SCHNEIDEMUHL, our troops liquidated an encircled group of the enemy, eliminating over 8,000 enemy men and officers. They took about 2,000 Nazis prisoner, capturing the following trophies: 13 tanks and self-propelled guns, 30 guns, 35 mortars, 154 submachine-guns, 384 motor vehicles, 120 carts loaded with materiel.

In POZNAN, our troops, continuing to fight to eliminate the encircled enemy garrison, seized the suburbs situated on the east bank of the Warta. Hence, the remains of the encircled enemy garrison are holding on only in CITADEL. Fighting in this area on February 16, our troops took over 6,000 enemy men and officers prisoner, capturing the following trophies: 13 guns, 52 machineguns, over 6,000 rifles and submachine-guns, 125 motor vehicles, 40 locomotives, 184 railway cars and 16 army depots with various types of materiel.

Northwest and west of the town of BUNCLAU in SCHLESIEN, our troops took by force over 50 settlements, including the large settlements of HERMSDORF, HAMMER, NEUHAUS, RAUSCHA, SCHNELLENFURT, TOMMENDORF. Fighting in this area on February 16, our troops took over 1,100 Nazi men and officers prisoner.

Southwest and south of the town of BRESLAU, our troops advanced with fighting, seizing over 60 settlements, including the large settlements of SACHWIZ, HUBERTUSHOF, WIEROWIZ, SCHONBANKWIZ, BORAU, GRUNCHARTAU, BROZEWIC. Simultaneously, fighting to eliminate the enemy’s group encircled in the town of BRESLAU (BRESLAVL) continued.

East of KOMARNO on the north bank of DANUBE, our troops, deployed west of the GRON river, repelled the attacks of the enemy’s large infantry and tank forces, inflicting heavy losses on them in manpower and materiel.

Reconnaissance raids and local fighting in a number of areas were reported on the other sections of the front.

On February 16, 106 German tanks were disabled and destroyed on all fronts. A total of 41 enemy aircraft were brought down in aerial combat or by anti-aircraft guns.