3rd Motor Rifle Division
Encyclopedia
The Soviet Army
's 3rd Rifle Division was an infantry division active from 1921 to 1946 and from 1955 to 1956. It was formed 5 June 1921 in the Ukraine Military District
. It appears that Order No. № 724/284 created the division from the 3rd and 46th Separate Rifle Brigades. At the beginning of World War II it located in Blagoveshchensk
and was not redeployed to fight the Germans. At the very end of World War II it was involved in the Sungari Army Group Operation with 2nd Red Banner Army. It forced the Amur and Ussuri rivers, and captured several cities in China
from the Japanese Kwantung Army. Immediate post war the Division was in 1st Red Banner Army, Transbaikal-Amur VO, 136th Rifle Corps, alongside 12 RD, 396 RD and 101st Fortified Region/MGAD. It was disbanded between 20.6.46 and 30.8.46. The Division's full name just before being disbanded was 3rd Rifle Red Banner Division of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Crimean ASSR.
Crofoot, Armies of the Bear, states that 3 MRD was reformed 1955 in the Moscow Military District
from 413 RD, taking its honours - 'Brest' and awards from 413 RD. 'However like all the divisions formed in 1955 it didn't last and was disbanded in 1956.'
3rd MRD reformed as 3rd 'Vislenskaya Red Banner Order of Suvorov i Kutuzova' Motor Rifle Division
by amalgamation of 31st and 47th Tank Divisions at Novyy in the Moscow Military District
on 1 July 1997 gaining the honours of the 31st Tank Division. The Division was in 2004 under the command of General Major Aleksandr Konnov. Elements of the division, notably the two motor rifle regiments, participated in the First Chechen War
and Second Chechen War
.
Warfare.ru notes that 3 MRD was unit number 54046, and had constant readiness status. In 2000 the division had 10850 personnel, 244 T-80 tanks, 361 BMP/BTR, 36 2S19 Msta-S, 96 2s3 Akatsia, and 16 Grad multiple rocket launchers. It consisted of the 100th and 237th Tank Regiments, and the 245th and 752nd Motor Rifle Regiments, as well as the 99th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment.
In March 2009 the division was disbanded and reorganised as the 6th Separate Tank Brigade and the 9th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade.
The post-Soviet 3rd MRD should not to be confused with 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division
, active during the Cold War.
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
's 3rd Rifle Division was an infantry division active from 1921 to 1946 and from 1955 to 1956. It was formed 5 June 1921 in the Ukraine Military District
Military district
Military districts are formations of a state's armed forces which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and in countries with conscript forces, often handle parts of the conscription cycle.Navies have also used...
. It appears that Order No. № 724/284 created the division from the 3rd and 46th Separate Rifle Brigades. At the beginning of World War II it located in Blagoveshchensk
Blagoveshchensk
Blagoveshchensk is a city and the administrative center of Amur Oblast, Russia. Population: -Early history of the region:The early residents of both sides of the Amur in the region of today's Blagoveshchensk were the Daurs and Duchers...
and was not redeployed to fight the Germans. At the very end of World War II it was involved in the Sungari Army Group Operation with 2nd Red Banner Army. It forced the Amur and Ussuri rivers, and captured several cities in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
from the Japanese Kwantung Army. Immediate post war the Division was in 1st Red Banner Army, Transbaikal-Amur VO, 136th Rifle Corps, alongside 12 RD, 396 RD and 101st Fortified Region/MGAD. It was disbanded between 20.6.46 and 30.8.46. The Division's full name just before being disbanded was 3rd Rifle Red Banner Division of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Crimean ASSR.
Crofoot, Armies of the Bear, states that 3 MRD was reformed 1955 in the Moscow Military District
Moscow Military District
The Moscow Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Leningrad Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.-History:In the beginning of...
from 413 RD, taking its honours - 'Brest' and awards from 413 RD. 'However like all the divisions formed in 1955 it didn't last and was disbanded in 1956.'
3rd MRD reformed as 3rd 'Vislenskaya Red Banner Order of Suvorov i Kutuzova' Motor Rifle Division
by amalgamation of 31st and 47th Tank Divisions at Novyy in the Moscow Military District
Moscow Military District
The Moscow Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Leningrad Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.-History:In the beginning of...
on 1 July 1997 gaining the honours of the 31st Tank Division. The Division was in 2004 under the command of General Major Aleksandr Konnov. Elements of the division, notably the two motor rifle regiments, participated in the First Chechen War
First Chechen War
The First Chechen War, also known as the War in Chechnya, was a conflict between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, fought from December 1994 to August 1996...
and Second Chechen War
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
.
Warfare.ru notes that 3 MRD was unit number 54046, and had constant readiness status. In 2000 the division had 10850 personnel, 244 T-80 tanks, 361 BMP/BTR, 36 2S19 Msta-S, 96 2s3 Akatsia, and 16 Grad multiple rocket launchers. It consisted of the 100th and 237th Tank Regiments, and the 245th and 752nd Motor Rifle Regiments, as well as the 99th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment.
In March 2009 the division was disbanded and reorganised as the 6th Separate Tank Brigade and the 9th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade.
The post-Soviet 3rd MRD should not to be confused with 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division
3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division
The 3rd Volnovaskyi Guards Red Banner Order of Suvorov Motor Rifle Division was a division of the Soviet Army from 1957 to around 1992. It traced its history from the highly decorated 3rd Guards Rifle Division of World War II...
, active during the Cold War.
Sources
- June 1998 report by Andrew Duncan in Jane's Intelligence ReviewJane's Intelligence ReviewJane's Intelligence Review is a monthly journal on military intelligence published by Jane's Information Group . Its coverage includes international security issues, ongoing conflicts, organized crime, and weapons proliferation....