86th Guards Rifle Division
The 86th Guards Rifle Division was reformed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in April 1943, based on the 2nd formation of the 98th Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War and well into the postwar era.
| 86th Guards Rifle Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1943–1957 |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Branch | Red Army (1943-1946) Soviet Army (1946-1957) |
| Type | Division |
| Role | Infantry |
| Engagements | Mius Offensive Donbass Strategic Offensive (August 1943) Battle of the Dniepr Odessa Offensive First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive Second Jassy-Kishinev Offensive Budapest Offensive Siege of Budapest Operation Konrad Operation Konrad III Vienna Offensive |
| Decorations | Order of the Red Banner |
| Battle honours | Nikolaev |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Col. Ivan Fedotovich Seryogin Maj. Gen. Vasilii Pavlovich Sokolovskii Maj. Gen. Leonid Aleksandrovich Kolobov |
It first saw action in July 1943 as part of the 2nd formation of the 1st Guards Rifle Corps of 2nd Guards Army in Southern Front during the Mius Offensive, which proved a failure. A month later it helped break the Mius-Front and began advancing through the southern regions of eastern Ukraine. In February 1944 it was transferred to the 28th Army in 3rd Ukrainian Front and it would serve under this Front command for the duration of the war. After crossing the Dniepr River and while advancing on Nikolaev the 86th Guards became part of the 10th Guards Rifle Corps, and would remain under this command, with few exceptions, for the duration of the war and into the 1950s. The division earned an honorific for its part in the liberation of Nikolaev and within weeks was also decorated with the Order of the Red Banner for its role in the liberation of Odessa, now as part of 5th Shock Army. In the fighting along the Dniestr River in April this Army was quickly fought to a standstill and the division remained in this area until August when it was transferred to 46th Army; it would remain under this command for the duration. During the summer offensive that destroyed the German 6th Army for the second time the 10th Guards Corps was a reserve formation and played an important role in the exploitation of the victory into the Balkan states. During the autumn and winter the 86th Guards assisted in the offensives that gradually encircled Budapest, helping to beat off several German attempts to break through to rescue the garrison trapped there; each of its rifle regiments would be honored or decorated for their roles in this fighting. In the spring of 1945 it advanced into Austria and ended the war there. The division continued to serve as part of the 10th Guards Corps until 1957 when it was reformed as a motor rifle division.