28th Tank Division (Soviet Union)

28th Tank Division (February 1941 – December 13, 1941)
Active	1941
Country	Soviet Union
Branch	Red Army
Type	Division
Role	Armor
Engagements	Operation Barbarossa Battle of Raseiniai Baltic operation Leningrad strategic defensive
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovskii Col. Timofei Semyonovich Orlenko

The 28th Tank Division was an armored division of the Red Army, created during the prewar buildup of forces in the Baltic Special Military District, based on a light tank brigade and a motorized rifle brigade, and fought against German Army Group North during the first months of Operation Barbarossa. It was initially under command of the 12th Mechanized Corps of 8th Army. It was noteworthy for being the first wartime command of Ivan Chernyakhovskii, who went on to lead the 3rd Belorussian Front. The division's tank regiments were largely destroyed in the first battles, but not without inflicting losses themselves, after which the remnants fell back through Latvia and Estonia, receiving enough reinforcements and replacements to remain combat-effective. It served well at Novgorod and in the early fighting around Demyansk, as part of 27th Army, but in November the Stavka ordered it to be converted to the 241st Rifle Division.