253rd Rifle Division

253rd Rifle Division (July 10, 1941 – September 19, 1941) 253rd Rifle Division (October 9, 1941 – June 30, 1942) 253rd Rifle Division (August 1942 – July 1945)
Active	1941–1945
Country	Soviet Union
Branch	Red Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Engagements	Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Rostov (1941) Barvenkovo–Lozovaya offensive Second Battle of Kharkov Battle of Demyansk Battle of the Dniepr Kalinkovichi-Mozyr offensive Ozarichi-Ptich offensive Parichi-Bobruisk offensive Lvov–Sandomierz offensive Vistula-Oder offensive Lower Silesian offensive Battle of Berlin Battle of Halbe Prague offensive
Decorations	Order of the Red Banner  Order of Suvorov  Order of Kutuzov (all 3rd Formation)
Battle honours	Kalinkovichi (3rd Formation)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. Mikhail Aleksandrovich Kudryavtsev Col. Aleksandr Ivanovich Fedoseev Kombrig Aleksandr Andreevich Neborak Lt. Col. Mikhail Grigorevich Grigorev Maj. Gen. Anatolii Nikolaevich Rozanov Maj. Gen. Efim Vasilevich Bedin Col. Aleksandr Evstigneevich Filatov Col. Ivan Georgievich Kantariya Col. Efim Pavlovich Epin

The 253rd Rifle Division was formed in the Odessa Military District as a reserve infantry division of the Red Army about two weeks after the German invasion of the USSR. It was based on the shtat (table of organization and equipment) of April 5, 1941 with modifications due to the emergency. Although it was assigned to Southern Front in early August it was probably never completely formed, as its recruiting area was overrun by Army Group South in the first weeks of that month. The division was officially disbanded on September 19.

A new 253rd began forming in early October in the Kharkov Military District, probably incorporating elements of the 1st formation. As had occurred with the 1st formation its forming-up area was soon lost and the division was assigned to the reserves of Southwestern Front to complete the process. When a new 37th Army was created in Southern Front in mid-November the 253rd was one of its initially-assigned units. The Army served as the Front's main assault force in the December counteroffensive that liberated Rostov-na-Donu and drove 1st Panzer Army back to the line of the Mius River. As the winter counteroffensive expanded the division advanced into what became a large salient based on Izium and Barvinkove south of Kharkiv. In May 1942, as Southwestern Front began an offensive toward that city, the 253rd was deep inside this salient as part of 6th Army and was hopelessly encircled in the German counteroffensive. It was destroyed late that month, but not officially disbanded until June 30.

The division was formed again in August, in the Volga Military District. Once formed it was moved north to the 11th Army of Northwestern Front and took part in the final stages of the Battle of Demyansk in 27th and 34th Armies of the same Front. After the Demyansk salient was evacuated the 253rd spent a couple of months vainly beating at the gates of Staraya Russa before moving to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command for an extended period and moving south. It re-entered the fighting front at the very end of the Belgorod–Kharkov offensive and was soon advancing with 40th Army across eastern Ukraine to the Dniepr River. In late September it was one of the first divisions to make a crossing, but ultimately the Bukryn bridgehead proved a dead end. Following the liberation of Kyiv it was moved north to join the 105th Rifle Corps of 65th Army in Belorussian Front (soon redesignated 1st Belorussian Front), and in fighting in Belarus in January 1944 it earned a battle honor. Following further battles in southeastern Belarus it was again removed to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command in March and moved south to join the 21st Rifle Corps in 3rd Guards Army, which soon came under command of 1st Ukrainian Front; it would remain under these commands for the duration. During the summer offensive the 253rd was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for its part in breaking the German defenses north of Lviv. When the Vistula-Oder offensive began in January 1945 the division, with its Corps, was in the Army's second echelon until it began to close on the Oder River in Silesia. It and its subunits won several decorations and honors for its role in crossing the Oder before taking part in the Lower Silesian Offensive, in which it helped isolate the German garrison of Glogau before advancing west to the Neisse River. The division remained along the line of this river until mid-April when the Berlin offensive began. The 253rd was instrumental in the encirclement and destruction of a German grouping near Cottbus, and then spent most of the rest of the campaign battling the encircled German 9th Army as it attempted to escape to the west. It was advancing on Prague at the time of the German surrender, and within months was disbanded.