50th Rifle Division
A Red Army infantry division that served from 1936 through the Second World War and was disbanded after the war.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 50th Rifle Division was an infantry formation of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and, later, the Soviet Army. It was formed in May 1936 from Construction Headquarters No. 27 as the Urovskaya Division of the Polotsk Fortified Region. Although its initial role was connected with the defense of the fortified region in Soviet Belarus, the division soon became an operational field formation and participated in several of the Soviet Union's major military campaigns before and during the Second World War. The division first saw combat during the Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939, serving initially with the 3rd Army's 4th Rifle Corps and later with its 10th Rifle Corps. It then fought Finland in the Winter War. In that campaign, the division operated on the Karelian Isthmus under the 13th Army and 30th Rifle Corps, attacking Finnish positions around Pasuri and Salmenkayta. Artillery support played an important role in its breakthrough of Finnish defenses. After the campaign, the formation returned to Belarus and was based successively at Lida and Polotsk. When Germany launched Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, the 50th Rifle Division formed part of the 21st Rifle Corps of the Western Front and was subordinated to the 13th Army. It defended approaches around the Viliya River and attempted to advance toward Ashmyany, but German armored and motorized forces forced it back toward Molodechno, the Berezina River, and the approaches to Barysaw. The division suffered severe losses during the retreat through northern Belarus and the fighting around Vitebsk and Velizh. It was rebuilt and returned to combat during the Battle of Smolensk, later escaping the encirclement associated with the Vyazma Pocket. During the Battle of Moscow, the division fought around Vereya, Dorokhovo, Shchalikovo, and Tuchkovo. It helped cover the Mozhaysk approaches during the German advance and then participated in the Soviet counteroffensive, crossing the Moskva River and recapturing Tuchkovo and other settlements in January 1942. From 1942 into early 1943, it fought west of Gzhatsk before moving south to the Siversky Donets. Its later wartime operations included the Izyum-Barvenkovo Offensive, the Donbass Strategic Offensive, the Zaporizhia Offensive, and the Aleksandriia–Znamenka and Kirovograd offensives. For the capture of Zaporizhia in October 1943, it received the honorific name Zaporizhia; after helping capture Kirovograd in January 1944, it received the Kirovograd honorific. In 1944, the division fought in the Uman–Botoșani Offensive and in the battles around the Prut bridgehead and Iași. It received the Order of the Red Banner for its conduct during the Uman–Botoșani campaign. In 1945, as part of the 52nd Army's 73rd Rifle Corps, it advanced through southern Poland and Silesia, participated in the fighting around Oleśnica and Breslau, and crossed the Oder northwest of Breslau. It was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class, in February 1945. The division then fought in the Berlin Offensive and the subsequent Prague Offensive, ending the war in Prague with the 1st Ukrainian Front. It received the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class, in May 1945. After the war, the division transferred to Sambir in the Carpathian Military District with its corps. It was subsequently disbanded in 1947. As a military formation rather than a commercial organization, it had no consumer products, commercial headquarters, public listing, or conventional brand portfolio.
History
The 50th Rifle Division was established in May 1936 from Construction Headquarters No. 27 as the Urovskaya Division of the Polotsk Fortified Region. Its creation reflected the Soviet effort to organize permanent defensive formations along the western frontier. In September 1939, the division took part in the Soviet invasion of Poland as part of the 3rd Army. It initially served with the 4th Rifle Corps and was transferred to the army's 10th Rifle Corps in October. The division was next committed to the Winter War against Finland. It was positioned near Lake Sukhodolskoye in late December 1939, came under the 13th Army in January 1940, and joined the 30th Rifle Corps. Its principal actions took place on the Karelian Isthmus, particularly around Pasuri and Salmenkayta. Attacks supported by divisional artillery helped it break through Finnish positions. After the war, the formation returned by rail to Belarus and was stationed at Lida before moving back to Polotsk in early 1941. Operation Barbarossa brought the division into a much larger and more destructive conflict. On 22 June 1941, it was part of the 21st Rifle Corps and defended the Viliya River sector northwest of Molodechno. German armored and motorized forces rapidly disrupted the Soviet front. The division withdrew through Molodechno, Lahoysk, Plyeshchanitsy, Begoml, Syanno, Vitebsk, and Velizh. Remnants of other Soviet units were attached to it during the retreat. After heavy losses, it was withdrawn for rebuilding in late July and placed in the reserve of the 19th Army in August. It returned to combat during the Battle of Smolensk, advancing from the Yartsevo area before taking defensive positions southeast of Dukhovshchina and along the Vop River. In October, orders to move toward Vyazma placed it near the developing German encirclement, but the division escaped the Vyazma Pocket. It then fought around Vereya, Dorokhovo, Shchalikovo, Alexino, Petrishcheva, and Tuchkovo, helping cover the Mozhaysk approaches. During the defensive phase of the Battle of Moscow, it held positions from mid-November to December. It joined the Soviet counteroffensive in December, crossed the Moskva River, and captured several villages before German counterattacks forced it back across the river. The winter counteroffensive continued in January 1942. The division recaptured Tuchkovo, advanced toward Mozhaisk, surrounded German forces at Beloborodova, and captured Dubrovka. It then fought west of Gzhatsk for much of 1942 and into early 1943. In 1943, it moved to the Siversky Donets and established a bridgehead near Tatyanovka, although German resistance forced it to withdraw to the eastern bank. It later crossed the river during the Izyum-Barvenkovo Offensive in July and participated in the Donbass Strategic Offensive from August. The division advanced through the Pavlograd area and took part in the Zaporizhia Offensive. Its role in the capture of Zaporizhia on 14 October 1943 earned it the honorific Zaporizhia. During the Aleksandriia–Znamenka Offensive, it advanced toward Znamenka. It resumed operations during the Kirovograd Offensive in January 1944 and helped capture Kirovograd on 7 January. Two days later it received the Kirovograd honorific. It subsequently advanced toward Pervomaisk during the Uman–Botoșani Offensive and received the Order of the Red Banner on 29 March 1944. After a period in reserve, the division defended a bridgehead on the Prut north of Iași. Its August 1944 offensive helped capture Iași on 21 August. In September, it moved toward Volodymyr-Volynskyi and then to southeastern Poland. From January 1945, it served in the 52nd Army's 73rd Rifle Corps. It advanced in the Sandomierz–Silesian Offensive through Staszów, Radomsko, and Oleśnica, reached the Breslau area, and crossed the Oder northwest of the city. It fought in the Lower Silesian Offensive and received the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class, on 19 February. The final phase of the war began with the Berlin Offensive on 16 April 1945, when the division fought near Gross Krausha north of Görlitz. It then participated in the Prague Offensive, advancing through Mladá Boleslav and reaching Prague. At the end of the war it remained part of the 52nd Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front and received the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class, on 26 May. The postwar division transferred to Sambir in the Carpathian Military District and was disbanded in 1947.
- 1947
Disbandment
[1]After transferring to Sambir in the Carpathian Military District, the division was disbanded.
- 1945
Final offensives and decorations
[1]The division fought in the Sandomierz–Silesian, Lower Silesian, Berlin, and Prague offensives and received the Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov.
- 1944
Kirovograd and Iași operations
[1]It helped capture Kirovograd and Iași and received the Kirovograd honorific and the Order of the Red Banner.
- 1943
Capture of Zaporizhia
[1]The division participated in the capture of Zaporizhia and received the honorific Zaporizhia.
- 1941
Operation Barbarossa and Battle of Moscow
[1]After the German invasion, the division fought through Belarus, Smolensk, Vyazma, and the approaches to Moscow.
- 1940
Winter War operations
[1]The division fought Finnish forces on the Karelian Isthmus around Pasuri and Salmenkayta.
- 1939
Soviet invasion of Poland
[1]The division entered Poland with the 3rd Army during the September 1939 campaign.
- 1936
Formation in the Polotsk Fortified Region
[1]The division was formed in May from Construction Headquarters No. 27 as the Urovskaya Division of the Polotsk Fortified Region.
Products and positioning
A Soviet wartime infantry formation organized for fortified-region defense, field operations, and sustained front-line combat.
Marketing campaigns
- 1945Berlin and Prague offensives
Germany · Czechoslovakia
The division fought through Silesia, crossed the Oder, participated in the Berlin Offensive, and advanced into Prague during the final Soviet offensive.
Outcome. The division ended the war in Prague and received the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class.
- 1944Uman–Botoșani and Iași operations
Ukraine · Romania
It advanced toward Pervomaisk, defended a Prut bridgehead, and participated in the capture of Iași.
Outcome. The division advanced westward and received the Order of the Red Banner for its conduct.
- 1943Donbass and Zaporizhia offensives
Ukraine
The division crossed the Siversky Donets, advanced through the Donbass, and participated in the capture of Zaporizhia.
Outcome. Its actions contributed to the Soviet recovery of major Ukrainian territory and earned the Zaporizhia honorific.
- 1941Operation Barbarossa
Soviet Union · German-occupied Eastern Europe
The division defended and retreated through western Belarus and fought in the Smolensk and Vyazma sectors after Germany invaded the Soviet Union.
Outcome. Despite severe losses and repeated withdrawals, the division survived encirclement and was rebuilt for further operations.
- 1941Battle of Moscow
Soviet Union
It defended the Mozhaysk approaches and later joined the Soviet winter counteroffensive west of Moscow.
Outcome. The division helped halt and push back German forces in its sector.
- 1939Soviet invasion of Poland
Poland
The division participated in the Soviet entry into eastern Poland as part of the 3rd Army.
Outcome. The campaign resulted in Soviet occupation of eastern Polish territories.
- 1939Winter War
Finland
The division fought on the Karelian Isthmus, including attacks near Pasuri and Salmenkayta.
Outcome. It returned to Belarus after the war ended in March 1940.
Brand decisions
1947
Postwar disbandmentOtherBackground
Following the Second World War, the division transferred to Sambir in the Carpathian Military District.
Action taken
The Soviet military disbanded the division after its postwar transfer.
Aftermath
The formation ceased to exist as an active Soviet military unit.
1936
Conversion into a field rifle divisionStrategyBackground
The formation originated as a fortified-region construction and defense organization in the Polotsk area.
Action taken
The Soviet military organized it as the Urovskaya Division of the Polotsk Fortified Region, creating a standing infantry division.
Aftermath
It subsequently became available for expeditionary and front-line operations.
Sources1 sources
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