309th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
A Soviet Red Army rifle division formed during the Second World War, destroyed in its first formation and reconstituted in Siberia in late 1941.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The 309th Rifle Division was a wartime infantry formation of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. It was created for the first time at Kursk in July 1941, shortly after Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Its initial combat experience came during the Soviet counteroffensive at the Yelnya Salient, where it attacked German positions as part of 24th Army. Although the operation helped force the German withdrawal from the salient, the division suffered heavy losses and was later judged to have performed unevenly. During Operation Typhoon in October 1941, the formation was encircled north of Spas-Demensk and its divisional headquarters disintegrated. The first formation was subsequently disbanded, although isolated elements continued to resist for a short period. A second division, initially numbered the 449th Rifle Division, began forming south of Krasnoyarsk on 30 December 1941. It received the 309th designation in January 1942 and spent several months training and assembling in the Siberian Military District. After moving west, it joined the 6th Reserve Army, which became the active 6th Army in July 1942, and then served with Voronezh Front and its successor, 1st Ukrainian Front, for most of the remainder of the war. Its standard organization included the 955th, 957th and 959th Rifle Regiments, the 842nd Artillery Regiment and supporting formations, including an antitank battalion. The reconstituted division saw active service during the Soviet offensives of 1942–43. It helped liberate Belgorod and Bogodukhov in February 1943, although German counterattacks during the Third Battle of Kharkov later reversed those gains. The division then became part of the Soviet defense of the Kursk Salient. During the Battle of Kursk, it was shifted to reinforce threatened sectors and helped contain the advance of the German 11th Panzer Division and the Großdeutschland Division. Its counterattack on 12 July made limited local progress, but contributed to the wider Soviet effort to prevent the German forces from regrouping and reaching the Psel River. In September 1943, the division participated in the Soviet advance across Ukraine and received the honorific Piryatin after the liberation of that city. It then took part in the assault crossing of the Dnieper near Rzhyshchev and in the fighting around the Bukrin Bridgehead. Forty-seven personnel of the 309th were recognized as Heroes of the Soviet Union for actions connected with the crossing and the establishment of the bridgehead, including divisional commander Dmitrii Dryomin. The Bukrin position ultimately proved unsuitable for the direct liberation of Kyiv, but the division supported a diversionary operation while Soviet forces shifted their main effort to the Lyutizh Bridgehead. Kyiv was liberated in early November 1943. The division continued advancing through Ukraine and later fought in Poland and Silesia. Its wartime service ended during the siege of Breslau, where it received the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class, in June 1945. Its final formal designation was the 309th Rifle, Piryatin, Order of the Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov Division. The division was disbanded during the summer of 1945 while serving with the Central Group of Forces.
History
The first 309th Rifle Division began forming at Kursk on 10 July 1941 in the Oryol Military District. It was organized around the 955th, 957th and 959th Rifle Regiments and the 842nd Artillery Regiment. Assigned first to Reserve Front and then to 24th Army, it reached the front in time for the Red Army's late-August counteroffensive against the Yelnya Salient. The division attacked with the central shock group and later shifted north to reinforce the 107th Motorized Division. The German withdrawal from the salient produced an early Soviet success, but the 309th incurred severe casualties and was criticized for limited initiative and ineffective attacks. At the beginning of Operation Typhoon in October, the division held positions on the right wing of 24th Army. German advances cut off the army, and by 7 October the 309th was encircled north of Spas-Demensk. Its headquarters had ceased to function and the formation was formally disbanded. Some detachments apparently continued fighting independently for several more days, but the original division no longer existed as an organized combat unit. The second formation originated as the 449th Rifle Division, which began assembling south of Krasnoyarsk on 30 December 1941. It was renumbered the 309th in January 1942 and included the same three rifle regiments and artillery regiment as the earlier formation, together with the 343rd Antitank Battalion. After roughly three months of preparation in Siberia, it moved west in April. It entered the operational chain through 6th Reserve Army, later 6th Army, and joined Voronezh Front during the summer. The division remained associated with Voronezh Front and 1st Ukrainian Front for the rest of the war, although it changed subordinate armies and corps several times. In the winter campaign of 1942–43, the 309th helped capture Belgorod on 9 February and Bogodukhov on 17 February. German counteroffensive operations around Kharkov forced the Soviet armies back toward the Kursk Salient, where the division spent the spring preparing for a major German attack. It was temporarily assigned to 52nd Rifle Corps within 40th Army. When the Battle of Kursk began, the 309th was shifted toward the threatened sector and reinforced 1st Guards Tank Army. On 11–12 July it helped hold the German 11th Panzer Division and Großdeutschland formations south of Novoselovka. A Soviet counterattack made little ground and was pushed back, but it contributed to the operational goal of disrupting the German attack and preventing a breakthrough toward the Psel. After Kursk, the division returned to 40th Army and advanced westward through Ukraine. It was credited with liberating Piryatin on 18 September 1943 and received that place name as an honorific. Its forward elements reached the Dnieper near Rzhyshchev, and the main crossing began on 23 September. Alongside other formations of 40th Army and 3rd Guards Tank Army, the division helped establish the Bukrin Bridgehead. The crossing was costly, but Soviet authorities awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union to 47 members of the 309th. Major General Dmitrii Dryomin, who commanded the division, was among those honored for personal courage and command during the crossing and bridgehead fighting. The Bukrin Bridgehead was constrained by terrain and German resistance, and Soviet leaders concluded that Kyiv could not be captured directly from the south. During the shift to the Lyutizh Bridgehead north of Kyiv, units remaining at Bukrin, including the 309th, conducted a diversionary attack. The main Soviet assault from Lyutizh broke through and Kyiv was liberated on 6 November 1943. The division then continued west, serving in a succession of formations in Ukraine, Poland and Silesia. It was transferred to 13th Army in July 1944 and later returned to 6th Army. In the final months it fought toward Breslau and participated in the siege of the city. On 4 June 1945 it received the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class. The division was disbanded during the summer of 1945 with the Central Group of Forces.
- 1945
Order of Kutuzov awarded
[1]The division received the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class, for its role in the fighting around Breslau.
- 1945
Division disbanded
[1]The 309th Rifle Division was disbanded during the summer with the Central Group of Forces.
- 1943
Belgorod and Bogodukhov operations
[1]The division participated in the winter Soviet offensive and helped capture both cities before the German counteroffensive at Kharkov.
- 1943
Battle of Kursk
[1]The division helped contain German armored forces during the defensive phase of the Battle of Kursk.
- 1943
Piryatin honorific awarded
[1]Following the liberation of Piryatin, the division received the place name as an honorific designation.
- 1943
Dnieper crossing
[1]The division crossed the Dnieper near Rzhyshchev and fought for the Bukrin Bridgehead.
- 1942
Second formation established
[1]The 449th Rifle Division was redesignated as the second 309th Rifle Division after forming in Siberia.
- 1941
First formation begins at Kursk
[1]The 309th Rifle Division began forming on 10 July in the Oryol Military District.
- 1941
Yelnya Salient counteroffensive
[1]The division entered combat during the Red Army's counteroffensive against the Yelnya Salient.
- 1941
First formation destroyed
[1]The division was encircled during Operation Typhoon and its headquarters disintegrated.
Products and positioning
A Soviet wartime rifle formation intended for conventional front-line infantry operations, including defensive holding actions, counterattacks, river crossings and urban or fortified-area combat.
Marketing campaigns
- 1944Advance through Ukraine, Poland and Silesia
Ukraine · Poland · Silesia
The division continued front-line operations after Kyiv, changing army and corps assignments while advancing west through occupied territories toward Silesia.
Outcome. The division reached the Breslau area and took part in the city's siege.
- 1943Battle of Kursk
Kursk Salient
The second formation was moved to threatened sectors and helped block the advance of the German 11th Panzer Division and Großdeutschland Division. Its July counterattack was tactically unsuccessful but supported the Soviet effort to halt and disrupt the German offensive.
Outcome. The German offensive was terminated, and the division remained operational for the Soviet advance westward.
- 1943Dnieper crossing and Bukrin Bridgehead
Central Ukraine
The division advanced to the Dnieper, crossed near Rzhyshchev and helped seize a bridgehead on the western bank. Its personnel faced strong resistance while Soviet forces attempted to expand the position.
Outcome. The bridgehead did not provide a practical route to Kyiv, but the division later supported the diversion that accompanied the successful Lyutizh operation.
- 1943Kyiv offensive
Kyiv region
While the main Soviet attack developed from the Lyutizh Bridgehead, the 309th participated in a diversionary attack from the Bukrin area to hold German attention south of Kyiv.
Outcome. Kyiv was liberated on 6 November 1943.
- 1941Yelnya Salient counteroffensive
Western Soviet Union
The first formation attacked German positions in the Yelnya Salient as part of 24th Army's central shock group. Its attacks produced little immediate local progress, but the wider Soviet operation helped force the German withdrawal from the salient. The division suffered substantial casualties before later being encircled during Operation Typhoon.
Outcome. The salient was evacuated by German forces, while the 309th was weakened and did not survive the subsequent autumn encirclement.
- 1941Operation Typhoon
Western Soviet Union
The first formation defended the right flank of 24th Army during the German offensive toward Moscow. It was surrounded north of Spas-Demensk, losing its divisional headquarters and organized identity.
Outcome. The first formation was destroyed and disbanded.
Brand decisions
1943
Shift from Bukrin to Lyutizh for the Kyiv offensiveStrategyBackground
Soviet command assessed that Kyiv could not be taken effectively from the southern Bukrin Bridgehead because of terrain and German resistance.
Action taken
Forces were secretly shifted toward the Lyutizh Bridgehead while formations remaining at Bukrin, including the 309th, mounted a diversion.
Aftermath
The Lyutizh offensive broke through and Kyiv was liberated in early November 1943.
1942
Redesignation and reconstitution as the second 309thOtherBackground
A new division formed as the 449th Rifle Division was assigned the number of the destroyed wartime formation in January 1942.
Action taken
The 449th was redesignated the 309th Rifle Division and transferred west after its Siberian training period.
Aftermath
The reconstituted division served through the remainder of the war and retained the 309th identity until its 1945 disbandment.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/309th-rifle-division-soviet-union · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled