Evening star., 1945-03-07
Kuestrin Defense
Ring Penetrated,
Nuzis Admit
MAP on Page A-2.)
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Mar. German
broadcasts today declared tht
Russians had opened the battle
for Berlin, breaking into thu
northeastern defenses of Kues.
trim on the Oder River. 80 mile
from the capital, and assaulting
Zehden on the Oder's east banl
81 miles from Berlin.
Berlin said the Oder front was
aflame along 70mile stretch from
south of Kuestrin almost all the way
north to Stettin.
Tanks of Marshal Gregory Zhu-
kov's 1st White Russian Army at
tackled Zehden, % miles northwest
of Kuestrin on the Oder, the Ger
man radio said, and possibly were
trying to drive wedge across to
turn on Berlin or Stettin from the
flank.
Attacking after a 24-hour artil-
lery barrage, the Soviets punched
into the northeastern defenses of
Kuestrin, due east of Berlin, an
other Nazi broadcaSter said.
Further Bases Sought.
The German high command said
Zhukov launched a major assault
intended to overWhelm Kuestrin
and establish further attacking
bases" for a push on Berlin.
The Germans weeks ago said the
Russians had showed bridgeheads
over the Oder 80 to 40 miles below
and above besieged Kuestrin.
Kuestrin was reported under at
tack from north and south.
The new report of action on the
Oder came as the Western Allies
threatened Germany's Rhine River
line.
Moscow dispatches made no men,
ton of the Berln-Oder front, but
said Soviet troops we're sweeping
across Violin, the first of the step
ping stone islands in Stettin Bay to
the north, in a push aimed at cut
ting oRStettin from the sea.
Violin Captured.
They captured the city of Violin,
% miles north of Stettin, on the
coastal route leading to the U-boat
base of Swinemuende and beyond to
Germany's Mecklenburg Province
north of Berlin.
Northeast of Berlin Zhukov was
hammering at the approaches to
Stettin, the port of the German
capital. The Germans reported
furious, unabated fighting on what
remained of the Germans Pom
eranian front, cut up by two Soviet
Army groupings.
The Russians invading Violin
Island had hoped river in the
Oder Delta. Beyond Violin is
Usedom Island, where the naval
base of Swinemuende at the eastern
tip stands sentinel on Stettin Bay.
Roads across Usedom connect with
Mecklenburg Province north and
northwest of Berlin.
Fires Started by Raiders.
The Red Army's big guns were
declared shelling Stettin'S eastern
and southern outskirts as infantry
men edged forward within sight of
fires set in the big German port by
Red Air Force raids.
In entering Violin, the Russian
troops crossed the Oder delta out
let stream of DievenoW. Capture of
Cammin, on the DievenoW 9 miles
to the northeast, was announced
late yesterday by Premier Stain in
an order of the day.
Field dispatches said the troops
who drove to Violin captured Tes-
sin, 4 = miles to the east
The Russians were said already to
have captured number of German
naval installations.
To the northeast in the Polish
Corridor, the Russian drive for Dan
zig was said to be progressing at a
quickened pace At the present
speed it was believed Red Army
troops should be at Danzigs gates
within week.
Along the Pomeranian shores of
(See PTTSSTA pooo Ao1