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97th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)
Encyclopedia
The 97th Mechanized Brigade was a rifle
, and then a motor-rifle
division of the Soviet Union
's Army
, before becoming a mechanized brigade
of the Ukrainian Ground Forces
, based in Slavuta
in western Ukraine
.
The full name of the division was the "97th Guards Poltava Motor-Rifle Division, Red Banner
, Suvorov's
, Bogdan Khmelnitsky
". After the division became part of Ukrainian Armed Forces it was known as the "97th Separate Mechanized Brigade".
. 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.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, and then a motor-rifle
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
division of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, before becoming a mechanized brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of the Ukrainian Ground Forces
Ukrainian Ground Forces
The Ukrainian Ground Forces are the land force component of the Military of Ukraine. They were formed from Soviet Army formations, units, and establishments, including three military districts , that were on Ukrainian soil when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990-92.Between the fall of the USSR and...
, based in Slavuta
Slavuta
Slavuta is a city in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast of western Ukraine, located on the Horyn River. Serving as the administrative center of the Slavutsky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located approximately 80 km from the oblast capital,...
in western Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
The full name of the division was the "97th Guards Poltava Motor-Rifle Division, Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
, Suvorov's
Order of Suvorov
The Order of Suvorov is a Soviet award, named after Aleksandr Suvorov , that was established on July 29, 1942 by a decision of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of the USSR. This decoration was created to award senior army personnel for exceptional leadership in combat operations...
, Bogdan Khmelnitsky
Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky
Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky may refer to:* Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky , state military award in the Soviet Union* Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky , state military award in Ukraine...
". After the division became part of Ukrainian Armed Forces it was known as the "97th Separate Mechanized Brigade".
History
The division was formed in August-September 1941 as the 343rd Rifle Division near the city of StavropolStavropol
-International relations:-Twin towns/sister cities:Stavropol is twinned with: Des Moines, United States Béziers, France Pazardzhik, Bulgaria-External links:* **...
. Throughout World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it was assigned to the 56th, 6th
6th Army (Soviet Union)
The 6th Army was a field army of the Soviet Red Army formed four times during World War II and active with the Russian Ground Forces up until 1998...
, 9th
9th Army (Soviet Union)
The 9th Army of the Soviet Union's Red Army was a Soviet field army, active from 1939 – 43, and then after the war from 1966 to 1989.It was active during the Winter War against Finland as part of the Leningrad Military District, beginning operations at the end of November 1939 under ComKor M.P....
, 21st, and 24th armies.
In 1941 and 1942, the division took part in defensive operations at Rostov
Rostov
Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...
, then in the Rostov and Barvenko-Lozovaia offensive operations. Later, it fought in the Second Battle of Kharkov
Second Battle of Kharkov
The Second Battle of Kharkov, so named by Wilhelm Keitel, was an Axis counter-offensive against the Red Army Izium bridgehead offensive conducted from 12 May to 28 May 1942, on the Eastern Front during World War II. Its objective was to eliminate the Izium bridgehead over Seversky Donets, or the...
, and took part in defensive operations near Stalingrad. On July 17, 1942, when the 21st Army
21st Army (Soviet Union)
-June to September 1941:21st Army was a part of the Second Operational Echelon of the RKKA. It was formed from the forces of the Volga Military District in May 1941 and was initially based on 63rd Rifle Corps and 66th Rifle Corps. The army was under the command of Lieutenant-General Vasilii...
joined the Stalingrad Front
Stalingrad Front
The Stalingrad Front was a front of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War. The name indicated the primary geographical region in which the Front first fought, based on the city of Stalingrad on the Volga River....
, 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
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
, along with the rest of 5th Guards Army as part of the Steppe Front
Steppe Front
The Steppe Front and later the 2nd Ukrainian Front was a Front , effectively an Army group sized formation, of the Soviet Army during the Second World War...
. Later, it fought in the liberation of left-bank Ukraine
Left-bank Ukraine
Left-bank Ukraine is a historic name of the part of Ukraine on the left bank of the Dnieper River, comprising the modern-day oblasts of Chernihiv, Poltava and Sumy as well as the eastern parts of the Kiev and Cherkasy....
. In September, the division was awarded the 'Poltava
Poltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
' 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
Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive
The Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive or the L'vov-Sandomierz Strategic Offensive Operation was a major Red Army operation to force the German troops from Ukraine and Eastern Poland...
, Sandomir-Silesia, Upper and Lower Silesia, Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
, and Prague offensives.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the division was stationed in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, where it remained until 1947. During that time, the Division belonged to the 5th Guards Army
5th Guards Army (Soviet Union)
The 5th Guards Army was a Soviet Guards formation which fought in many critical actions during World War II under the command of General Aleksei Semenovich Zhadov....
. After its relocation to Slavuta
Slavuta
Slavuta is a city in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast of western Ukraine, located on the Horyn River. Serving as the administrative center of the Slavutsky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located approximately 80 km from the oblast capital,...
, it became part of the 13th Army
13th Army (Soviet Union)
The 13th Army was a name given to several field armies of the Soviet Union's Red Army, first created during the Russian Civil War...
. 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.
Late Soviet Period (c. 1988)
- 110th Tank Regiment
- 289th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment
- 292nd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment
- 294th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment
- 232nd Guards Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment
- 1094th Guards Anti-Aircraft Rocket Regiment
Awards
- September 1943 received the honorable name «Poltava»
- 19?? received Order of Bogdan KhmelnitskyOrder of Bogdan KhmelnitskyOrder of Bogdan Khmelnitsky may refer to:* Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky , state military award in the Soviet Union* Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky , state military award in Ukraine...
- 19?? received Order of SuvorovOrder of SuvorovThe Order of Suvorov is a Soviet award, named after Aleksandr Suvorov , that was established on July 29, 1942 by a decision of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of the USSR. This decoration was created to award senior army personnel for exceptional leadership in combat operations...
- 19?? received the Order of the Red BannerOrder of the Red BannerThe Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
Further reading
- “World War II". Soviet Encyclopaedia, 1985, p.573 (Russian)
- I.A.Samchuk “Guards from Poltava " (Military Publishing, 1965) (Russian)