After nearly four years of intense fighting, Soviet forces finally launched their assault on Berlin on 16 April 1945.
Nazi Germany had invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941 and killed an estimated 25 million of the country's civilians and military.
But now, Adolf Hitler's Germany was on its knees. A depleted and disorganised garrison of about 95,000 faced two full Soviet army groups attacking from the east and south.
In total, some 1.5 million Soviet troops encircled and then assaulted the capital. It was the last major offensive of the war in Europe.
