61st Rifle Corps
| 61st Rifle Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | First formation: 1939–41 Second formation: 1943–45 |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Branch | Red Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Part of |
Western Front 1941, Western Front 1943, 1st Belorussian Front 1944–45 |
| Engagements | |
| Battle honours | Radom (Second formation) |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Major General Fyodor Bakunin (1941) Lt. General Ivan Grigorievsky (1944–45) |
 Major-General F.A.Bakunin |
|
|
Major General I.F.Grigorievsky and Guards Colonel I.A.Vlasenko |
The 61st Rifle Corps (Russian: 61-й стрелковый корпус 61-y strelkovy korpus ) was a Red Army infantry corps during World War II, formed twice. The 61st Rifle Corps was formed firmed in Tula during September 1939. After Operation Barbarossa, it was transferred to the front in Belarus and fought in the Battle of Smolensk. After suffering heavy losses at Smolensk, it was disbanded in early August 1941. Reformed in spring 1943, the corps fought in Operation Kutuzov, the Lublin–Brest Offensive and the Berlin Offensive. The corps was disbanded after the end of the war in summer 1945.
The corps was formed in September 1939. It was stationed near Tula. The corps was commanded by Major General Fyodor Bakunin from April 1940. The corps began the war as part of the 20th Army. After the beginning of the war, it was moved to Belarus south of Mogilev and took defensive positions in the area of Škłou, Mogilev and Bykhaw.
In June 1941, the corps fought in the Battle of Smolensk. During the battle, it defended Mogilev and fought for Smolensk. On 1 July, it was composed of the 18th, 110th and 172nd Rifle Divisions. On 3 July, the vanguard of the 2nd Panzer Army reached the approaches to Mogilev and fought with the 95–96 corps.
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