24th Samaro-Ylyanovskaya, Zheleznaya, Berdichevskaya, four times Red Banner orders of the October Revolution, Suvorov and Bogdan Khmelnitskiy Motorised Rifle Division

24-я мотострелковая Самаро-Ульяновская, Железная, Бердичевская четырежды Краснознамённая орденов Октябрьской Революции, Суворова и Богдана Хмельницкого дивизия

Military Unit: 82715

Activated 4.6.57 in Yavorov, Lvov Oblast, from the 24th Rifle Division.

Known as the "Iron" division.

Organisation 1960:

• 7th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Lvov, Lvov Oblast)
• 274th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 310th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 181st Tank Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 849th Artillery Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 257th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 29th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 306th independent Sapper Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 56th independent Communications Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 280th independent Chemical Defence Company (Bryukhovichi, Lvov Oblast)
• 66th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 53rd independent Motor Transport Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)

19.2.62 re-organised:

• 86th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated
• 361st independent Missile Battalion was activated

In 5.62 the 15th independent Tank Battalion was activated.

In 1968 the 306th independent Sapper Battalion was renamed 306th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion.

Organisation 1970:

• 7th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Lvov, Lvov Oblast)
• 274th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 310th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 181st Tank Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 849th Artillery Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 257th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 15th independent Tank Battalion (Lvov, Lvov Oblast)
• 361st independent Missile Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 29th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 306th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 56th independent Communications Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 280th independent Chemical Defence Company (Bryukhovichi, Lvov Oblast)
• 86th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 66th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 53rd independent Motor Transport Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)

15.11.72 re-organised:

• 509th independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion was activated
• 00 independent Reactive Artillery Battalion was activated - absorbed by the Artillery Regiment in 5.80

21.2.78 awarded the order of the October Revolution.

In 1980 the 53rd independent Motor Transport Battalion was renamed 396th independent Material Supply Battalion.

Organisation 1980:

• 7th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Lvov, Lvov Oblast)
• 274th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 310th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 181st Tank Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 849th Artillery Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 257th Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 15th independent Tank Battalion (Lvov, Lvov Oblast)
• 361st independent Missile Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 509th independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 29th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 306th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 56th independent Communications Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 280th independent Chemical Defence Company (Bryukhovichi, Lvov Oblast)
• 86th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 66th independent Medical Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 396th independent Material Supply Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)

In 1982 preparations began for the conversion of this division to an independent Army Corps, similar to the 120th Guards Motorised Rifle Division, but this was cancelled before the activation date (1.6.82).

In 1985 the 15th independent Tank Battalion was disbanded.

Organisation 1988:

• 7th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Lvov, Lvov Oblast)
• 274th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 310th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 181st Tank Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 849th Artillery Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 257th Guards Anti-Missile Artillery Regiment (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 361st independent Missile Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 509th independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 29th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 306th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 56th independent Communications Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 280th independent Chemical Defence Company (Bryukhovichi, Lvov Oblast)
• 86th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)
• 66th independent Medical Battalion (Rava-Russkaya, Lvov Oblast)
• 396th independent Material Supply Battalion (Yavorov, Lvov Oblast)

1.92 taken over by Ukraine.

Headquarters:

• Yavorov, Lvov Oblast, 6.57 - 1.92

Subordination:

• 13th Combined Arms Army, 6.57 - 1960
• Carpathian Military District, 1960 - 1.92

Equipment 1.12.85:

• 9200 men, 180 T-72, 40 T-72M, 95 BMP-1, 37 BMP-2, 13 BTR-60, 257 BTR-70, 52 122mm 2s1, 18 122mm D-30, 36 152mm 2s3, 18 152mm D-1

Equipment 19.11.90 (CFE treaty holdings):

• Divisional HQ: 1 PRP-3, 1 R-145BM, 1 R-156BTR and 1 PU-12
• 7th Motorised Rifle Regiment: no tanks, 138 BTR-70, 6 BTR-60, 5 BMP-2, 3 BMP-1K, 12 122mm D-30, 2 PRP-3, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 2 MTP, 5 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 1 MTU-20, 1 MT-55A and 12 MT-LBT
• 274th Motorised Rifle Regiment: 59 T-72, 23 BMP-2, 6 BRM-1K, 18 2s1 Gvozdika, 2 PRP-3, 4 BMP-1KSh, 3 RKhM, 1 BREM-2, 1 MTP-1, 6 1V18, 1 PU-12, 1 MTU-20, 1 MT-55A and 9 MT-LBT
• 310th Motorised Rifle Regiment: 49 T-72, 117 BMP-2, 10 BMP-1, 7 BRM-1K, 4 BTR-70, 12 2s1 Gvozdika, 2 PM-38, 4 BMP-1KSh, 1 PRP-3, 1 PRP-4, 3 RKhM, 1 MTP-1, 2 BREM-2, 2 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 6 1V18, 2 MT-55A and 4 MT-LBT
• 181st Tank Regiment: 94 T-72, 17 BMP-2, 1 BMP-1, 2 BRM-1K, 12 2s1 Gvozdika, 4 BMP-1KSh, 1 PRP-3, 3 RKhM, 1 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 1 MTU-20 and 2 MT-55A
• 849th Artillery Regiment: 37 2s3 Akatsiya, 12 BM-21 Grad, 4 PRP-3, 1 PRP-4, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 1 R-145BM and 1 R-156BTR
• 257th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment: ZRK Kub (SA-6) and 1 R-156BTR
• 509th independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion: 1 PRP-3 and 15 MT-LBT
• 29th independent Reconnaissance Battalion: 14 BMP-2, 9 BRM-1K, 1 BTR-80, 10 BTR-70, 2 R-145BM and 1 R-156BTR
• 56th independent Communications Battalion: 8 R-145BM, 1 R-156BTR and 1 3S88
• 306th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion: 1 IRM and 6 MT-55A

Divisional coordinates:

• Yavorov barracks [US designation: Yavorov Army Barracks AL 1]: 49 57 11N, 23 23 18E (181st Tank Regiment, 86th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion and 396th independent Material Supply Battalion)
• Yavorov barracks [US designation: Yavorov Army Barracks AL 2]: 49 55 29N, 23 23 09E (274th Motorised Rifle Regiment, 849th Artillery Regiment, 257th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, 361st independent Missile Battalion, 306th independent Engineer-Sapper Battalion and 56th independent Communications Battalion)
• Rava-Russkaya barracks [US designation: Rava-Russkaya Army Barracks South AL 1]: 50 13 22N, 23 37 51E (310th Motorised Rifle Regiment, 509th independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion and 29th independent Reconnaissance Battalion)
• Lvov barracks [US designation: Lvov Army Barracks AL 3]: 49 49 02N, 24 01 01E (7th Motorised Rifle Regiment and 15th independent Tank Battalion)
• Lvov Army Barracks [US designation: Lvov Army Barracks South Southwest AL 4]: 49 49 14N, 24 00 24E (Divisional HQ)
• Bryukhovichi barracks [US designation: Lvov Army Barracks Northwest AL 11]: 49 54 25N, 23 58 16E (280th independent Chemical Defence Company)

The division was maintained as a Ready Division - Reduced Strength I (US terms: Category II). It was a showcase division, where new equipment were first tested, before being introduced to other units.