52nd Melitopolskaya Red Banner Motorised Rifle Division

52-я мотострелковая Мелитопольская Краснознамённая дивизия

Military Unit: 41678

Activated 17.5.57 in Kerch, Crimean Oblast, from the 52nd Rifle Division.

Organisation 1960:

• 91st Motorised Rifle Regiment (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)
• 206th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)
• 362nd Motorised Rifle Regiment (Feodosiya, Crimean Oblast)
• 253rd Tank Regiment (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)
• 1012th Artillery Regiment (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)
• 1056th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)
• 101st independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)
• 598th independent Sapper Battalion (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)
• 432nd independent Communications Battalion (Feodosiya, Crimean Oblast)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)
• 189th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)
• 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion (Kerch, Crimean Oblast)

19.2.62 re-organised:

• 000 independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated
• 559th independent Missile Battalion was activated

In 1968 the 598th independent Sapper Battalion was renamed 598th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion.

In 4.69 the 91st Motorised Rifle Regiment was replaced by the new 459th Motorised Rifle Regiment.

Organisation 1970:

• 206th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 362nd Motorised Rifle Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 459th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 253rd Tank Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 1012th Artillery Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 1056th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 559th independent Missile Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 101st independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 598th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 432nd independent Communications Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 189th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)

In 7.70 the 362nd Motorised Rifle Regiment was used to activate the new 91st Motorised Rifle Division, and was reformed.

15.11.72 re-organised:

• 0000 independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion was activated
• 00 independent Guards Reactive Artillery Battalion was activated - absorbed by the Artillery Regiment in 5.80

In 1980 the 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion was renamed 0000 independent Material Supply Battalion.

Organisation 1980:

• 206th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast) with BMP-1
• 362nd Motorised Rifle Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 459th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 253rd Tank Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 1012th Artillery Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 1056th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 559th independent Missile Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 0000 independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 101st independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 598th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 432nd independent Communications Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 189th independent Medical Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 0000 independent Material Supply Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)

Organisation 1987:

• 206th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 362nd Motorised Rifle Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 459th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 253rd Tank Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast) with T-55
• 1012th Artillery Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 1056th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 559th independent Missile Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 0000 independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 101st independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast) with BMP-1
• 598th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 432nd independent Communications Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 189th independent Medical Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)
• 0000 independent Material Supply Battalion (Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast)

1.12.87 renamed 978th Territorial Training Center.

1.7.90 renamed 5208th Weapons and Equipment Storage Base.

Disbanded 1994.

Headquarters:

• Kerch, Crimean Oblast, 5.57 - 4.69
• Nizhneudinsk, Irkutsk Oblast, 4.69 - 1994

Subordination:

• 45th Army Corps, 5.57 - 3.67
• 32nd Army Corps, 3.67 - 4.69
• 44th Army Corps, 4.69 - 5.70
• 29th Combined Arms Army, 5.70 - 2.88
• 57th Army Corps, 2.88 - 1993
• Transbaykal Military District, 1993 - 1994

Divisional coordinates:

• Nizhneudinsk barracks [US designation: Nizhneudinsk Army Barracks AL 1]: 54 55 18N, 99 03 50E (Divisional HQ, and all attached units)

The division was maintained as a Not Ready Division - Low-Strength Cadre (US terms: Category III).