The 46th Rifle Division was a rifle division of the Soviet Red Army, initially formed in 1921 in Ukraine during the Russian Civil War. The Division's 2nd formation formed in 1923 as a "territorial " within the 136th, 137, 138th Rifle Regiment in Kiev in the 14th Rifle Corps in the Ukrainian Military District.
In 1930 the division had in its composition Pridneprovsky 136th, 137th Kiev, 138th Perei Rifle Regiments.
In 1931 the division moved to the "cadre" principle of organization and manning.
On May 17, 1935 it was in the composition of the Kiev Military District. On July 26, 1938, the division became part of the Zhytomyr Army Group Kiev Special Military District .
Then the division was moved into the Transbaikal Military District, was stationed in Irkutsk.
In April 1940 the division moved to the state of peacetime personnel of 6,000.
On April 22, 1941, the division was part of the 32nd Rifle Corps, 16th Army, Transbaikal Military District, and still stationed in Irkutsk.
The division commander was Maj. Gen. Alexander Filatov.
The division was wiped out at Yelnaya in July 1941. Recreated at Ufa post-Jul 1941. Wiped out at Volkhov Pocket Jun 1942. Recreated from the 1st Rifle Division NKVD at Vaskelevo. Fought at Lutsk and Danzig. With 2nd Shock Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front, May 1945. When the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany was formed in August 1945, the division was with the 109th Rifle Corps, 2nd Shock Army.
In 1955, the division was reformed from the 272nd Rifle Division with the 13th Guards Rifle Corps at Kursk. It became the 46th Motor Rifle Division on 25 June 1957. On 17 November 1964 it became the 272nd Motor Rifle Division.