| 293rd Rifle Division (1941–43) 66th Guards Rifle Division (1943–57) 66th Guards Motor Rifle Division (1957–60) 66th Guards Training Motor Rifle Division (1960–87) 110th Guards Separate Training Center (1987–1992) 66th Mechanized Division (1992–2000) 22nd Mechanized Brigade (2000–2003) |
|
|---|---|
Sleeve Patch for 66th Mechanized Division |
|
| Active | July 18, 1941–2003[1] |
| Country | Ukraine |
| Branch | Red Army 1941–1991 Ukrainian Ground Forces 1992–2003 |
| Type | Mechanized |
| Size | 3,000 (2003)[1] |
| Part of | 38th Army 38th Army Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | Chernivtsi[1] Chernivtsi Oblast Ukraine |
| Anniversaries | July 18, 1941 |
| Engagements | Second Battle of Kharkov Operation Uranus Battle of Kursk Lower Dnepr strategic offensive operation Korsun-Shevchenkovsky Offensive Operation Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive East Carpathian Strategic Offensive Operation Carpathian-Uzhgorod Offensive Operation Battle of Budapest Balaton Defensive Operation Vienna Offensive Hungarian Revolution of 1956 |
| Decorations | Order of the Red Banner |
| Battle honours | Poltava, Bukovyna |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Major General Pavel Lagutin (1st Commander) |
| Insignia | |
| Soviet Guards badge | |
| Ukrainian Guards badge | |
| Mechanized branch insignia | |
The 66th Guards Rifle Division was a formation of the Red Army and later of Ukrainian Ground Forces.
After October 1999, full name of the Division became 66th Guards Mechanized Bukovyna, Poltava Red Banner Division of the 38th Army Corps of the Western Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Ukrainian: 66 гвардійська механізована Буковинська, Полтавська Червонопрапорна дивізія 38 армійського корпусу Західного оперативного командування Збройних Сил України)[2]
The 293rd Rifle Division was formed on July 18, 1941 from various units of the in Sumy Oblast, Chernivtsi Oblast and Kharkiv Oblast Ukraine.[3] Major General Pavel Lagutin became Division's first commander. On August 24, 1941 the Division was assigned to newly formed 40th Army.[4][5] By early February 1942 the Division was transferred to 21st Army, Southwestern Front[5] and participated in Second Battle of Kharkov.
Remnants of the Division were located near Nizhny Kislyay, Voronezh Oblast by July 8, 1942. Division lost its combat capability. Command and Staff of the 293rd were relocated to the rear, sergeants and privates, weapons, transportation, supplies and 817th Artillery Regiment were transferred to 76th Rifle Division of 21st Army. On August 4, 1941 the 293rd was removed from the 21st Army and moved to Buzuluk by rail where it was included into 4th reserve of the Supreme Commander.
New formation of the 293rd Rifle Division by establishment № 04/300 from July 28, 1942 was finished on October 12, 1942. Division was sent to front and by October 17, 1942 it became part of 21st Army[5] which from October 25, 1942 became part of Southwestern Front where she took part in Operation Uranus.
By Order of the People's Commissariat of Defence of the USSR № 034 from January 21, 1943 the Division was reorganized into 66th Guards Rifle Division. Major General Akim Yakshin became Division's new commander after Pavel Lagutin was promoted to Executive officer of the 21st Army. On February 7, 1943 most of the Divisions units were renamed.
On March 17, 1943 the 66th was assigned to 6th Guards Rifle Corps 1st Guards Army Southwestern Front[5], from May 5, 1943 the 66th was assigned to 5th Guards Army Steppe Military District. From May 9, 1943 the 66th was with 32nd Guards Rifle Corps 5th Guards Army.[5] During Battle of Kursk and Lower Dnepr strategic offensive operation the 66th was with 33rd Guards Rifle Corps 5th Guards Army, later she was again assigned to 32nd Guards Corps. On September 23, 1943 the 66th was awarded with the honorable name "Poltava" by Supreme Commander. By the end of October the 66th was with 53rd Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front. On November 28, 1943 Major General Sergey Frolov became new Divisions commander, he would remain there until the end of the war. On November 30, 1943 the 66th was with 20th Guards Rifle Corps 4th Guards Army.[5] On January 3, 1944 66th was assigned to 48th Rifle Corps 53rd Army. While taking part in Korsun-Shevchenkovsky Offensive Operation, 66th was with 75th Rifle Corps, later she was assigned to 26th Guards Rifle Corps.
On March 1, 1943 66th was with 69th Army reserve of Stavka[5] near Shpola Cherkasy Oblast. On April 11, 1944 Division was relocated by rail to Zaporizhia with 1st Ukrainian Front. During Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive 66th was with 95th Rifle Corps 18th Army 1st Ukrainian Front.[5] During the East Carpathian Strategic Offensive Operation (the Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive?) the division was assigned to 18th Guards Rifle Corps 18th Army 4th Ukrainian Front.[5] From September 16, 1944, Division also took part in Carpathian-Uzhgorod Offensive Operation.
On November 14, 1944 66th with 18th Guards Rifle Corps was assigned to 2nd Ukrainian Front where she took part in Battle of Budapest. On January 23, 1943 66th was with 104th Rifle Corps 4th Guards Army 3rd Ukrainian Front[5] and took part in Balaton Defensive Operation. On April 5, 1945 the Division was awarded Order of the Red Banner by Supreme Soviet of the USSR. From April 15, 1945 66th was with 21st Guards Rifle Corps 4th Guards Army and took part in Vienna Offensive. Division finished combat operations in Austria on May 8, 1945
After Victory Day 66th with 27th Army from June 3 to August 23, 1945 was relocating to Ukraine into Carpathian Military District. First base was in Haisyn Vinnytsia Oblast. From October 1946 Division was assigned to 38th Army in Chernivtsi.[3][6] Division took part in Hungarian Revolution of 1956. On June 15, 1957 66th Guards Rifle Division became 66th Guards Motor Rifle Division.
On September 15, 1960, 66th became 66th Guards Training Motor Rifle Division.[7] In 1987, 66th Guards Training Motor Rifle Division became 110th Guards Separate Training Center for junior specialists of motor rifle troops of the Carpathian Military District.[6]
The Training Center became under Ukrainian control after Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union.[8] On January 19, 1992 the Training Center along with all other units stationed in Ukraine, pledged their allegiance to Ukrainian people. In May 1992, the 110th Guards Districts Training Center was disbanded by the directive of the Ministry of Defense. On September 1, 1992 a new 66th Mechanized Division started forming on the basis of units from the disbanded Training Center.
A few units from the 17th Guards Motor Rifle Division were added to the Division, when the 17th was reduced to a Brigade. Division was a part of the 38th Army Corps (former 38th Army) Western Operational Command. On October 26, 1999 President of Ukraine awarded the Division with Bukovyna title.[2] On October 30, 2000 all of the honorifics which the Division earned throughout her history were restored. Name of the Division became 66th Guards Bukovyna, Poltava Red Banner Mechanized Division. Soon after, the Division was reformed into the 22nd Mechanized Brigade, all of the Divisions regalia was lost. During 2003 only 300th Mechanized Regiment remained, the rest of the units of the Brigade were disbanded.[1]
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order of the Red Banner | April 5, 1945 | Awarded by Supreme Soviet of the USSR |
| Image | Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guards unit | January 21, 1943 | Awarded by the order People's Commissariat of Defence of the USSR № 034[14] | |
| Poltava | September 23, 1943 | Awarded by Supreme Commander | |
| Bukovyna | October 26, 1999 | Awarded by President of Ukraine[2] |