37th Guards Rechitskaya twice Red Banner orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov and Bogdan Khmelnitskiy Tank Division

37-я гвардейская танковая Речицкая дважды Краснознамённая орденов Суворова, Кутузова и Богдана Хмельницкого дивизия

Military Unit: 49510

Activated 20.5.57 in Polotsk (Borovukha), Vitebsk Oblast, as the 39th Guards Tank Division, from the 27th Guards Mechanised Division.

In 1960 the 99th independent Tank Training Battalion was disbanded.

Organisation 1960:

• 252nd Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 261st Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 263rd Guards Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 298th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 854th Guards Artillery Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 936th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 55th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 359th independent Guards Sapper Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 63rd independent Guards Communications Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 00 independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)

19.2.62 the 199th independent Missile Battalion and the 107th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated.

11.1.65 renamed 37th Guards Tank Division.

In 1968 the 359th independent Guards Sapper Battalion was renamed 359th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion.

Organisation 1970:

• 252nd Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 261st Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 263rd Guards Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 298th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 854th Guards Artillery Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 936th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 199th independent Missile Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 55th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 359th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 63rd independent Guards Communications Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 107th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 00 independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)

In 1980 the 000 independent Motor Transport Battalion was renamed 1020th independent Material Supply Battalion.

Organisation 1980:

• 252nd Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 261st Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 263rd Guards Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 298th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 854th Guards Artillery Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 936th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 199th independent Missile Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 55th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 359th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 63rd independent Guards Communications Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 107th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 00 independent Medical Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 1020th independent Material Supply Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)

Organisation 1988:

• 252nd Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 261st Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 263rd Guards Tank Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 298th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 854th Guards Artillery Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 936th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 199th independent Missile Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 55th independent Reconnaissance Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 359th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 63rd independent Guards Communications Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 107th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 00 independent Medical Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)
• 1020th independent Material Supply Battalion (Polotsk, Vitebsk Oblast)

In 11.89 the 261st Tank Regiment was replaced by the 38th Guards Tank Regiment, from the 34th Tank Division, while the 936th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment was replaced by the 740th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, from the 3rd Guards Tank Division.

3.92 taken over by Belarus.

Headquarters:

• Polotsk (Borovukha), Vitebsk Oblast, 5.57 - 3.92

Subordination:

• 7th Tank Army, 5.57 - 3.92

Equipment 12.85:

• 2950 men, 328 T-72, 230 BMP-1, 24 BTR-60, 90 122mm D-30, 36 122mm M-30

Equipment 19.11.90 (CFE treaty holdings):

• Divisional HQ: 1 PRP-4

• 38th Guards Tank Regiment: 67 T-72, 8 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 2 BTR-70. 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 2 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 2 MP-32, 2 RKhM, 1 MTP and 4 MTU-20

• 252nd Tank Regiment: 65 T-72, 8 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 3 BTR-70, 3 BMP-1KSh, 2 PRP-3, 1 PRP-4, 3 R-145BM, 3 PU-12, 2 MP-31, 2 RKhM, 1 MTP and 3 MTU-20

• 263rd Guards Tank Regiment: 67 T-72, 8 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 2 BTR-70, 3 BMP-1KSh, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 2 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 2 MP-31, 2 RKhM, 2 MTP and 3 MTU-20

• 298th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment: 24 T-72, 4 BMP-2, 2 BRM-1K, 6 BTR-70, 3 BMP-1KSh, 2 PRP-4, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 3 R-145BM, 3 PU-12, 2 MP-31, 2 RKhM, 1 BREM-2, 1 MTP and 1 MTU-20

• 854th Guards Artillery Regiment: 12 BM-21 Grad, 1 PRP-3, 1 PRP-4, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 1 R-145BM, 1 R-156BTR and 1 BTR-70

• 740th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment: ZRK Osa (SA-8), 5 PU-12, 1 R-145BM and 1 R-156BTR

• 55th independent Reconnaissance Battalion: 10 BMP-2, 7 BRM-1K, 10 BTR-70, 2 R-145BM and 1 R-156BTR

• 53rd independent Guards Communications Battalion: 11 R-145BM

• 359th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion: 2 IRM and 3 UR-67

Divisional coordinates:

• Polotsk barracks [US designation: Polotsk Army Barracks AL 2]: 55 30 46N, 28 46 45E (Divisional HQ, 55th independent Reconnaissance Battalion, 359th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion and 00 independent Medical Battalion)
• Polotsk barracks [US designation: Polotsk Army Barracks North AL 3]: 55 32 22N, 28 46 43E (936th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, 936th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, 199th independent Missile Battalion, 53rd independent Guards Communications Battalion, 000 independent Chemical Defence Company, 107th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion and 1020th independent Material Supply Battalion)
• Polotsk barracks [US designation: Polotsk Army Barracks Borovukha AL 5]: 55 35 34N, 28 36 01E (252nd Tank Regiment, 261st Tank Regiment, 263rd Guards Tank Regiment and 298th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment)

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