164th Vitebskaya Red Banner Motorised Rifle Division

164-я мотострелковая Витебская Краснознамённая дивизия

Military Unit: 29416

Activated 25.6.57 in Yerevan, Armenian SSR, as the 121st Motorised Rifle Division, from the 73rd Mechanised Division.

Organisation 1960:

• 227th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 344th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 349th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 385th Tank Regiment (Echmiadzin, Armenian SSR)
• 973rd Artillery Regiment (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)
• 971st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 776th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 116th independent Sapper Battalion (Echmiadzin, Armenian SSR)
• 591st independent Communications Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 195th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)

19.2.62 re-organised:

• 170th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated
• 352nd independent Missile Battalion was activated

17.11.64 renamed 164th Motorised Rifle Division.

In 1968 the 116th independent Sapper Battalion was renamed 116th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion.

Organisation 1970:

• 227th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 344th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 349th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 385th Tank Regiment (Echmiadzin, Armenian SSR)
• 973rd Artillery Regiment (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)
• 971st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 352nd independent Missile Battalion (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)
• 776th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 116th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Echmiadzin, Armenian SSR)
• 591st independent Communications Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 170th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 195th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)

In 1972 the 000 independent Chemical Defence Company was renamed 630th independent Chemical Defence Battalion.

15.11.72 re-organised:

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

In 1980 the 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion was renamed 1556th independent Material Supply Battalion.

Organisation 1980:

• 227th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 344th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 349th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 385th Tank Regiment (Echmiadzin, Armenian SSR)
• 973rd Artillery Regiment (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)
• 971st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 352nd independent Missile Battalion (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)
• 0000 independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Balaovit, Armenian SSR) - disbanded mid-1980's
• 776th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 116th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Echmiadzin, Armenian SSR)
• 591st independent Communications Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 630th independent Chemical Defence Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 170th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 195th independent Medical Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 1556th independent Material Supply Battalion (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)

Organisation 1988:

• 227th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 344th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 349th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 385th Tank Regiment (Echmiadzin, Armenian SSR)
• 973rd Artillery Regiment (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)
• 971st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 352nd independent Missile Battalion (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)
• 776th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Sovetashen, Armenian SSR)
• 116th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Echmiadzin, Armenian SSR)
• 591st independent Communications Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 630th independent Chemical Defence Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 170th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 195th independent Medical Battalion (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)
• 1556th independent Material Supply Battalion (Balaovit, Armenian SSR)

In 4.90 the 385th Tank Regiment, was divided into the 117th independent Tank Battalion and the 1361st Motorised Rifle Regiment.

Disbanded 6.92 - equipment divided between Armenia and Russia.

Headquarters:

• Yerevan, Armenian SSR, 6.57 - 6.92

Subordination:

• 7th Guards Combined Arms Army, 6.57 - 6.92

Equipment 12.85:

• 7500 men, 133 T-54/55, 111 BMP-1, 199 BTR-60, 90 122mm D-30, 18 152mm D-1

Equipment 19.11.90 (CFE treaty holdings):

• Divisional HQ: 1 R-145BM
• 227th Motorised Rifle Regiment: 31 T-72, 43 BTR-70, 6 BTR-60, 3 BMP-1, 2 BRM-1K, 4 PM-38, 6 R-145BM and 1 MTU-20
• 344th Motorised Rifle Regiment: 31 T-72, 125 MT-LB, 4 BMP-1, 2 BRM-1K, 1 BTR-70, 4 PM-38, 3 R-145BM and 1 MT-55A
• 349th Motorised Rifle Regiment: 31 T-72, 98 BMP-1, 7 BRM-1K, 12 2s1 Gvozdika, 4 PM-38, 3 BMP-1KSh, 1 PRP-3, 5 R-145BM, 1 MTP-1 and 1 MTU-20
• 1361st Motorised Rifle Regiment: no equipment
• 117th independent Tank Battalion: 31 T-72, 4 T-54, 3 BMP-1, 1 BRM-1K, 5 BTR-70, 4 PM-38, 1 BTR-50PUM and 1 MT-55A
• 973rd Artillery Regiment: 36 122mm D-30, 12 BM-21 Grad, 2 PRP-3 and 1 BTR-70
• 971st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment: 57mm S-60
• 776th independent Reconnaissance Battalion: 2 R-145BM
• 591st independent Communications Battalion: 6 R-145BM
• 116th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion: 2 UR-67

Divisional coordinates:

• Yerevan barracks [US designation: Yerevan Army Barracks West Central AL 2]: 40 10 12N, 44 30 17E (630th independent Chemical Defence Battalion, 170th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion, 591st independent Communications Battalion and 195th independent Medical Battalion)
• Yerevan barracks [US designation: Yerevan Army Barracks Kanaker AL 6]: 40 13 15N, 44 32 48E (227th Motorised Rifle Regiment and 344th Motorised Rifle Regiment)
• Sovetashen barracks [US designation: Yerevan Army Barracks Sovetashan AL 4]: 40 05 27N, 44 33 12E (349th Motorised Rifle Regiment, 971st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment and 776th independent Reconnaissance Battalion)
• Balaovit barracks [US designation: Yerevan Army Barracks AL 9]: 40 14 50N, 44 36 17E (Divisional HQ, 973rd Artillery Regiment, 352nd independent Missile Battalion, 0000 independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion and 1556th independent Material Supply Battalion)
• Echmiadzin barracks [US designation: Echmiadzin Army Barracks Southwest AL 3]: 40 09 32N, 44 17 05E (385th Tank Regiment)
• Echmiadzin barracks [US designation: Echmiadzin Army Barracks Central AL 5]: 40 10 08N, 44 17 52E (116th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion)

The division was maintained as a Ready Division - Reduced Strength II (US terms: Category II).