97th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine) - History

History

The division was formed in August–September 1941 as the 343rd Rifle Division near the city of Stavropol. Throughout World War II, it was assigned to the 56th, 6th, 9th, 21st, and 24th armies. In 1941 and 1942, the division took part in defensive operations at Rostov, then in the Rostov and Barvenko-Lozovaia offensive operations. Later, it fought in the Second Battle of Kharkov, and took part in defensive operations near Stalingrad. On July 17, 1942, when the 21st Army joined the Stalingrad Front, the division had 2,795 men and fewer than 20 artillery pieces. After October 1942 it was assigned to the 66th Army, which later became 5th Guards Army.

In May 1943, the division became 97th Guards Rifle Division. It took part in the Battle of Kursk, along with the rest of 5th Guards Army as part of the Steppe Front. Later, it fought in the liberation of left-bank Ukraine. In September, the division was awarded the 'Poltava' honorific, along with its sister divisions, the 13th and 95th Guards Rifle Divisions. In 1944 and 1945, it took part in the Kirovograd, Uman-Botoshany, Lvov-Sandomir, Sandomir-Silesia, Upper and Lower Silesia, Berlin, and Prague offensives.

After World War II, the division was stationed in Austria, where it remained until 1947. During that time, the Division belonged to the 5th Guards Army. After its relocation to Slavuta, it became part of the 13th Army. Around 1957, it was reorganized from a Rifle into a Motor-Rifle division. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the division was reorganized into a Brigade, which continued to exist until November 2004, when it was disbanded.