144th Guards Elninskaya Red Banner order of Suvorov Motorised Rifle Division

144-я гвардейская мотострелковая Ельнинская Краснознамённая ордена Суворова дивизия

Military Unit: 22238; from 1993: 21555

Activated 18.2.67 in Tallin, Estonian SSR, as the 144th Motorised Rifle Division, replacing the 8th Guards  Motorised Rifle Division, which was about to transfer to Frunze.

23.12.67 inherited the traditions, honors and awards from the 36th Guards Motorised Rifle Division (disbanded in 1960), and was renamed 144th Guards Motorised Rifle Division.

Organisation 1970:

• 254th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Tallin, Estonian SSR) - from the 8th Guards  Motorised Rifle Division
• 482nd Motorised Rifle Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 488th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 228th Tank Regiment (Keyla, Estonian SSR)
• 450th Artillery Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 1259th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 3rd independent Tank Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 156th independent Missile Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 148th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 295th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 686th independent Communications Battalion (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 379th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 155th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion (Tallin, Estonian SSR)

15.11.72 re-organised:

• 1281st 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 1032nd independent Material Supply Battalion.

Organisation 1980:

• 254th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 482nd Motorised Rifle Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 488th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 228th Tank Regiment (Keyla, Estonian SSR)
• 450th Artillery Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 1259th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Tallin, Estonian SSR) - 3.80 transferred to Klooga, Estonian SSR.
• 3rd independent Tank Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR) - disbanded 1985
• 156th independent Missile Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 1281st independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 148th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 295th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 686th independent Communications Battalion (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 379th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 155th independent Medical Battalion (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 1032nd independent Material Supply Battalion (Tallin, Estonian SSR)

Organisation 1988:

• 254th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 482nd Motorised Rifle Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 488th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 228th Tank Regiment (Keyla, Estonian SSR)
• 450th Artillery Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 1259th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 156th independent Missile Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 1281st independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 148th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 295th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 686th independent Communications Battalion (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 379th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Klooga, Estonian SSR)
• 155th independent Medical Battalion (Tallin, Estonian SSR)
• 1032nd independent Material Supply Battalion (Tallin, Estonian SSR)

1993 renamed 4944th Guards Weapons and Equipment Storage Base.

Disbanded 2007.

Headquarters:

• Tallin, Estonian SSR, 18.2.67 - 2.93 [59 25 29N, 24 46 29E]
• Yelnya, Smolensk Oblast, 2.93 - 2007

Equipment 12.85:

• 2100 men, 220 T-54/55, 199 BTR-60, 31 BTR-152, 102 122mm M-30, 18 152mm D-1

Equipment 19.11.90 (CFE treaty holdings):

• 254th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment: 29 T-72, 125 BTR-70, 6 BTR-60, 4 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 2 PRP-4, 6 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 1 MTU-20 and 12 MT-LBT
• 482nd Motorised Rifle Regiment: 31 T-72, 4 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 4 R-145BM and 1 MTU-20
• 488th Motorised Rifle Regiment: 30 T-72, 4 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 3 2s1 Gvozdika, 2 122mm D-30, 1 2s12 Sani, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 4 R-145BM, 1 PU-12 and 1 MTU-20
• 228th Tank Regiment: 94 T-72, 14 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 2 BMP-1KSh, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 2 R-145BM, 1 PU-12, 3 MTU-20 and 12 MT-LBT
• 450th Artillery Regiment: 12 BM-21 Grad, 1 PRP-4, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 1 R-145BM and 1 R-156BTR
• 1281st independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion: 4 R-145BM and 22 MT-LBT
• 148th independent Reconnaissance Battalion: 10 BMP-1, 7 BRM-1K and 1 R-145BM
• 295th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion: 2 IRM
• 686th independent Communications Battalion: 9 R-145BM, 2 R-156BTR and 1 R-137B

Equipment 1.1.2000 (CFE treaty holdings):

• 136 T-80, 67 BMP-2, 15 BRM-1K, 36 BTR-70, 6 BTR-60, 36 2s19 Msta-S, 96 152mm 2A65 Msta, 12 BM-21 Grad, 2 BMP-1KSh, 8 PRP-4, 9 1V18, 3 1V19, 4 PU-12, 26 R-145BM, 5 R-156BTR and 564 men

Subordination:

• Baltic Military District, 1968 - 2.93
• 20th Guards Combined Arms Army, 2.93 - 2007

Divisional coordinates:

• Tallinn Army Barracks [US designation: Tallinn Army Barracks Tondi AL 5]: 59 24 17N, 24 43 23E (Divisional HQ, 254th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment, 686th independent Communications Battalion, 000 independent Chemical Defence Company, 155th independent Medical Battalion and 1032nd independent Material Supply Battalion)
• Keyla barracks [US designation: Keila Army Barracks Railroad Junction AL 1]: 59 18 33N, 24 23 35E (228th Tank Regiment)
• Klooga barracks [US designation: Klooga Army Barracks West AL 1]: 59 19 16N, 24 12 34E (482nd Motorised Rifle Regiment, 488th Motorised Rifle Regiment, 450th Artillery Regiment, 1259th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, 156th independent Missile Battalion, 1281st independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion, 148th independent Reconnaissance Battalion, 295th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion and 379th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion)
• Yelnya barracks: 54 36 29N, 33 10 37E

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