GUBEN AND FORST

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 47, 24 February 1945, Page 7

GUBEN AND FORST

RUSSIAN OBJECTIVES (By V^legraph— Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. npon. LONDON, Feb. 23. Today the Russians intensified their assaults against Guben and Forst, both Neisse Ricer keypoints which will have to be taker before the full strength of the Russian attack can be turned on Kottbus. The German news agency commentator, ?Xajor yon- Hammer, states that the Russians have penetrated to the eastern edge of Guben and Forst, but claims that later they were dislodged.

Yon Hammer also says the Russians temporarily succeeded in crossing the

Neisse River on a wide front between Guben and Lauban, but were wiped out in counter-attacks.

Reuters Moscow correspondent says that the battles of the Neisse River are not expected to last long. Once the enemy forces east of the river are destroyed the stream will not present a great obstacle to the army, which has already forced the Oder. Red Army artillery bombarded Forst all day today, while other detachments of Koniev's troops moved closer to Guben. Isolated German units at other points are being pressed back to the Neisse and wiped out. KONIGSBERG'S FATE. In the Order of the Day to Marshal Zhukov which announced that Poznan had been captured, the city was described as "an important defence centre in the direction of Berlin," which is the first time Moscow has used this phrase. Moscow correspondents say that Konigsberg is described as half-ruined after the Russian air attacks. It is revealed that the Red Air Force, in its last raid, pounded the city for 2£ hours, silencing all the anti-aircraft guns. Russian troops entrenched around the city fired signal rockets against the main German strong-points. The bombers then pin-pointed these illuminated objectives with almost the accuracy of grenade throwers. Major yon Hammer reports that the Russians made further advances in the Tuchelerhaide and Choinice areas. The total advance at Choinice, where the Russians were strongly supported by artillery, was two miles. . RUSSIAN CAPTURES. Tonight's Soviet communique states that the Russians south-west of Konigsberg continued to fight for the destruction of the German grouping and, tightening the ring, captured a number of places and took 500 prisoners. The Red Army in Pomerania, after breaking the German resistance, captured' the railway junction of Arnswalde.

The Russians in capturing Poznan took 365 planes, 32 tanks, 584 guns, and other booty.

The Russians in Breslau seized five suburbs, besides 20 blocks of houses in the southern parts of the city. Yesterday, in Breslau, the Russians captured 130 guns, 80 of which were of large calibre.

fists to smash the enemy fortified points along 50 miles of the river. His heaviest assaults at present are mounted in the areas of Guben, Weisswasser, and Gorlitz, all controlling vital communications which are needed to oatflank Berlin. The threat of encirclement to Guben is increasing. Koniev is reported to have reached the river in force on either side of Guben, a large industrial town which the Germans seemed willing to turn into another Breslau. Koniev has sent fresh and powerful reinforcements into the fighting near the outskirts of Gorlitz, the. investment of which would achieve the dual purpose of securing the Russian flank and clearing the way for new thrusts towards Dresden. No information has been released

concerning Zhukov's sector east of Berlin. The resumption of the offensive there is believed to be waiting on further progress on Koniev's front southward. NAZIS' SETBACK. With the Russians lining the Neisse River on a 25-mile front, Marshal Koniev's forces are now level with Marshal Zhukov's troops opposite Berlin. Commenting; on the Russian advance to the Neisse, a Moscow radio spokesman says that Marshal Koniev's troops have taken from the Germans that area from which the German High Command planned to launch powerful flank attacks against the Russian armies standing along the Oder River. This area will be of the utmost importance for an outflanking move against Berlin. , A German correspondent broadcasting last night claimed that the German warships Admiral Scheer, Luetzow, Prinz Eugen, and Hipper, with* destroyers and torpedo-boats, are', shelling the Russian forces as they! advance towards the Baltic in theareas off Memel, Elbing, and Koniss-: berg. . ■ ° The Moscow correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" states that Marshal Zhukov's forces in Pomerania have been unsuccessful in breaking! down the German resistance on the approaches to Stettin. Fierce fighting1 is raging in the area of Stargard: where strong enemy forces are counter-attacking.