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2nd Guards People's Militia Division


The 85th Leningrad-Pavlovsk Red Banner Motor Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Soviet Red Army originally active from 1931 and converted to a motorised formation in 1957. It was part of the Russian Ground Forces until it was reorganised as two .

The division was originally formed in 1931 in the Ural MD, seemingly at Chelyabinsk. It seems to have been sent to Belorussian Special Military District, soon to be the Western Special Military District, 1940. Assigned to 4th Rifle Corps, 3rd Army, Soviet Western Front on outbreak of war. Narod.ru seems to indicate that the division was formed twice, in 1931 and 1941.

After the division's first formation was disbanded or destroyed, the division was reformed. In late 1941 it was reformed during the Leningrad Strategic Defensive from the 2nd Guard People's Militia Division.

In early 1945 the division was operating as part of 122nd Rifle Corps, 2nd Baltic Front. On 10 March 1945 the division marched into the area Balozi, Kreyli and 22 March 1945, stepping into the junction between the 43rd Rifle Division and 46th Rifle Division seized the servants, Meira, where it met strong enemy counterattacks, held on defence until 30 April 1945. On 30 April 1945 the division, passing occupied Rebezha 43rd Rifle Division and the 56th Rifle Division, took a new line of defense Mengravil, Yatsy, replacing part of the 11th Rifle Division.

By the end of the day on 7 May 1945, the German troops began to retreat in a north-west direction. Units of the division pursued the retreating enemy in the direction of Lubenko, Rumbiniska, Zeri and at 17:00 on 8 May 1945 went to the line of Grange Gaito, Yurdi, Cowes, where at 18:00 on 8 May 1945 the division accepted the surrender of enemy units.


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