RED BREAK-THROUGH

Evening Star, Issue 25425, 5 March 1945, Page 5

RED BREAK-THROUGH

GERMANY'S _BALTIG COAST SUCCESS OF TWO ARMIES EASTERN POMERANIA CUT OFF CRec. 12.20 p.m.) LONDON, March 4. The Russians have reached the Baltic near Kolberg, some 125 miles west of Danzig, thus closing all the land escape of the Germans trapped in this area and eastwards to Elbing. Marshal Stalin, in an order of the day, says that troops of Marshal Zhukov's first White Russian front, having broken through strongly-fortified Gorman defences ( east of Stargard in four days' offensive fighting, advanced up to 63 miles, reaching the coast of the Baltic in the area of Kolberg, The troops occupied Schivelbein and Haerwalde, respectively 28 and 42 miles from Kolherg, Rogenwalde, 28 miles south-south-west of Kolberg, Labes, 40 miles south-south-east" of Kolberg, Wangerin, six miles south of Labes, and Koerlin, 12 miles south-east or Kolberg. Marshal Stalin, m a second order of the day to Marshal Rokossovsiky, states that troops of the second White Russian front, developing their offensive, reached the Baltic and captured Kostin, thus cutting off enemy troops in Eastern Pomerania. Mention of 61 generals, including 21 infantry, 13 artillery, and 11 tank generals, in the first order of the day, indicates the magnitude of Marshal Zhukov's smashing 63-mile drive to the Baltic, says Reuter's Moscow correspondent. Zhukov, deploying' a major force of' at least one full army group, has driven a tremendous wedge to the Baltic and completely cleared the northern flank from the possibility of coun-ter-attack, a prerequisite for the resumption of his drive towards Berlin. Rokossovsky's capture of Koslin, an important .enemy communication centre, and his break-through to the Baltic, completes the double pocketing of General Guderian's armies hemmed in along the coast. Two Russian army groups now hold -the greater part cf East Pomerania. Two localities among. those captured by Zhukov are Schwendt, two, miles south-east of Stargard, and. Wulkow, three miles east of, Stargard, where there was a camp for Allied prisoners of war, says the British United Press Moscow correspondent. Zhukov's forces are within 25 miles of Stettin,-and his vanguards are menacing Stargard, key to its defences. Other spearheads in the Kolberg area are within 30 miles of the point where Rokossovsky's men have broken out on the Baltic. The Germans threw in large numbers of tanks, "self-propelled guns, and infantry, including S.S. formations, in an endeavour to stop Zhukov and Rokossovsky, but without avail. Meanwhile, far behind the battle lines, the battle for Koenigsberg continues with unabated fury. A suicide group of Germans here is tying down many (Russian troops as long as possible. • ■■"'..' •-