85th Motor Rifle Division
The 85th Motor Rifle Division was a Soviet and later Russian military formation whose lineage began in 1931 and ended with its reorganisation into successor brigade and regimental formations.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The 85th Motor Rifle Division was a Soviet military formation that originated as the 85th Rifle Division, first organized in 1931 at Chelyabinsk. It served in the Soviet Army during the Second World War, the Cold War, and the post-Soviet period before being reorganized in 2009. Its lineage was later continued by the 228th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 90th Guards Tank Division. The division’s wartime history involved two principal formations. The first was assigned to the Belorussian Special Military District in 1940 and entered the German invasion of the Soviet Union as part of the 4th Rifle Corps and 3rd Army on the Western Front. That formation was destroyed during the opening phase of the war. A second formation was created in September 1941 during the Leningrad Strategic Defensive, drawing on the 2nd Guards People’s Militia Division of the Leningrad People’s Militia. This formation fought on the Eastern Front and, in 1945, operated in the Baltic region as part of the 122nd Rifle Corps and 2nd Baltic Front. In the final weeks of the war it advanced through positions in Latvia and accepted the surrender of German forces on 8 May 1945. After the war the division was transferred to Siberia and arrived in Novosibirsk in September 1945. It was reduced to brigade status in 1946, becoming the 24th Rifle Brigade, but was restored as a rifle division in 1953. In 1957 it was converted into a motor rifle division, reflecting the Soviet Army’s postwar shift toward mechanized formations. The formation received the honorary name Leningrad in 1967 and was formally known as the 85th Motor Rifle Leningrad-Pavlovsk Red Banner Division. Its late-Cold-War order of battle included motor rifle, tank, artillery, reconnaissance, engineer, and air-defense units. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the division became part of the Russian Ground Forces. It absorbed or received affiliated units during the 1990s, including the 74th Guards Tank Regiment. Personnel served in the First Chechen War from December 1994 through April 1995, taking part in operations around Grozny and in the defense of positions and approaches in Chechnya. The division also participated in the Second Chechen War from 2000. Its 228th Motor Rifle Regiment was notable for having been fully equipped with BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, although those vehicles were later replaced by MT-LB armored carriers after operational and maintenance difficulties during a Chechen deployment. As part of the Russian military reforms of the late 2000s, the division was reorganized in 2009, apparently becoming the 32nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade. In 2016, that brigade was used in the formation of the 228th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 90th Guards Tank Division. The successor regiment inherited the 85th Division’s honors and traditions, but the original divisional organization is no longer active.
History
The 85th Division was first organized in 1931 at Chelyabinsk and moved to the Belorussian Special Military District in 1940. At the outbreak of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union, it belonged to the 4th Rifle Corps of the 3rd Army on the Western Front. That first wartime formation was destroyed during the opening campaigns. A new formation was created in September 1941 during the Leningrad Strategic Defensive, drawing on the 2nd Guards People’s Militia Division of the Leningrad People’s Militia. It fought on the Eastern Front and in early 1945 served in the 122nd Rifle Corps of the 2nd Baltic Front. The division advanced through positions in Latvia during March and April, resumed its pursuit as German forces withdrew in May, and accepted the surrender of German troops on 8 May 1945. In September 1945 the division moved to Novosibirsk in the Siberian Military District. It became the 24th Rifle Brigade in 1946, was restored as a rifle division in 1953, and was converted to a motor rifle division in 1957. The formation received the honorary name Leningrad in 1967, becoming the 85th Motor Rifle Leningrad-Pavlovsk Red Banner Division. Its Cold War structure included tank, motor rifle, artillery, reconnaissance, engineering, and air-defense units. Around 1989 its air-defense regiment was replaced by the 927th Anti-Aircraft Rocket Regiment. After 1991 the division served in the Russian Ground Forces. A tank regiment with a lineage from the 74th Guards Tank Division joined it in 1992. Division personnel deployed during the First Chechen War from December 1994 to April 1995, taking part in operations in Grozny and defensive tasks elsewhere in Chechnya. The division returned to combat during the Second Chechen War from 2000. Its 228th Motor Rifle Regiment had been equipped with BMP-3 vehicles, but these were replaced with MT-LB carriers after a Chechen deployment caused substantial vehicle wear and maintenance difficulties. The division was reorganized during Russian military reforms in 2009, apparently becoming the 32nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade. In 2016 the brigade contributed to the formation of the 228th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 90th Guards Tank Division. That regiment retained the former division’s honors and traditions, while the 85th Motor Rifle Division itself ceased to exist as an active formation.
- 2016
Successor regiment established
[1]The successor brigade helped form the 228th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 90th Guards Tank Division.
- 2009
Divisional reorganization
[1]The formation was reorganized as the 32nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade.
- 1967
Leningrad honor granted
[1]The division received the honorary name Leningrad and its full Leningrad-Pavlovsk designation.
- 1957
Motorization
[1]The formation became the 85th Motorised Rifle Division.
- 1953
Restoration as a rifle division
[1]The brigade was upgraded and redesignated as the 85th Pavlovsk Rifle Red Banner Division.
- 1946
Reduction to brigade status
[1]The postwar division was reorganized as the 24th Rifle Brigade in Novosibirsk.
- 1945
Final Eastern Front operations
[1]The division advanced in Latvia and accepted the German surrender on 8 May.
- 1941
Wartime re-formation
[1]A second formation was created during the Leningrad defensive from militia resources after the first formation was destroyed.
- 1931
Initial formation
[1]The 85th Division was organized at Chelyabinsk as a rifle division.
Products and positioning
A Soviet and Russian combined-arms ground formation distinguished by its Second World War service, Leningrad and Pavlovsk honors, Siberian basing, motorization after 1957, and later participation in the Chechen campaigns.
Marketing campaigns
- 2000Second Chechen War
Chechnya · Russian Federation
The division participated in Russian operations in Chechnya from September 2000, including service by the 228th Motor Rifle Regiment.
Outcome. The deployment contributed to accelerated wear and equipment changes in the regiment.
- 1994First Chechen War
Chechnya · Russian Federation
Personnel from the division served with Russian forces in the Northern Group and participated in fighting and defensive missions around Grozny and nearby locations.
Outcome. The deployment ended in April 1995.
- 1945Baltic and Latvian operations
Latvia · Soviet Union
As part of the 2nd Baltic Front, the division advanced through Latvian positions and pursued withdrawing German forces in May 1945.
Outcome. The division reached its assigned line and accepted the German surrender on 8 May 1945.
- 1941Leningrad Strategic Defensive
Soviet Union
The second formation of the division was created during the defensive struggle around Leningrad and subsequently entered combat on the Eastern Front.
Outcome. The formation survived the war and continued into the postwar Soviet Army.
Brand decisions
2009
Reorganization into a separate brigadeStrategyBackground
Russian military reforms reduced or reorganized a number of division-level formations.
Action taken
The 85th Division was reorganized as the 32nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade.
Aftermath
The brigade was later used to form the 228th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 90th Guards Tank Division.
1957
Conversion to motor rifle statusStrategyBackground
The Soviet Army was restructuring many postwar rifle formations around mechanized mobility and armored support.
Action taken
The 85th Rifle Division was redesignated as a motorised rifle division.
Aftermath
It continued as a combined-arms formation through the Cold War and into the Russian Ground Forces.
Recent events
- 2016
Lineage transferred to the 228th Motor Rifle Regiment[1]
Other
The successor brigade was used to form the 228th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 90th Guards Tank Division, which inherited the division’s honors and traditions.
- 2009
Reorganization as the 32nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade[1]
Other
The divisional organization was dismantled during Russian Ground Forces reforms and replaced by a separate motor rifle brigade.
- 2000
Service in the Second Chechen War[1]
Other · Product generation
The division participated in the conflict from September 2000, while its 228th Regiment underwent a change in armored equipment after deployment-related wear.
- 1994
Service in the First Chechen War[1]
Other
Division personnel served with Russian forces in Chechnya, including operations in Grozny and defensive missions near the Sunzha and Ilinskoe.
- 1957
Conversion to motor rifle formation[1]
Other
The rifle division was redesignated as the 85th Motorised Rifle Division as part of Soviet postwar mechanization.
- 1945
Division accepts German surrender in Latvia[1]
Other
The division pursued retreating German forces and accepted their surrender on 8 May during the final Eastern Front operations.
- 1941
Second formation created during the Leningrad defensive[1]
Other
After the destruction of its first wartime formation, the division was reconstituted in September from Leningrad militia resources.
- 1931
85th Division formed in Chelyabinsk[1]
Other
The formation that later became the 85th Motor Rifle Division was established as the 85th Rifle Division.
Sources3 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/85th-motor-rifle-division · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled