World War II The 9th Guards Airborne Division was formed on 15 December 1942 in the
Moscow Military District from the 204th and 211th Airborne Brigades and the 1st Maneuver Airborne Brigade of
1st Airborne Corps. In February 1943, it became part of the
1st Shock Army. Beginning on 12 March 1943, the division fought in the
Staraya Russa Offensive Operation. where they repulsed German counterattacks by the
Leibstandarte. As part of the
33rd Guards Rifle Corps, the division participated in the
Belgorod-Khar'kov Offensive Operation. In September 1943, it fought in the
Chernigov-Poltava Offensive. On 22 September, in conjunction with the
95th Rifle Division and the
84th Rifle Division, the division crossed the
Vorskla River and stormed Poltava. For its participation in the capture of
Poltava, the division was given the title "Poltava". At the end of September, the division captured
Kremenchuk. In the
Sandomierz–Silesian Offensive, the 9th Guards Airborne broke through German defences and on 14 January 1945 crossed the
Nida. On 21 January it captured
Rosenberg and on 24 January crossed the
Oder. The 330th Tank Regiment inherited the honors of the 343rd Guards Tank Regiment in 1975 and became the 343rd Guards Tank Regiment. In 1976, the division became the first GSFG unit to receive the new
T-64A tank. On 14 September 1982, it became the 32nd Guards Tank Division. Its 216th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment became the 287th Guards Tank Regiment and the 223rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment became the 288th Guards Tank Regiment. On 28 August 1988, the 640th Separate Missile Battalion was disbanded and absorbed by the newly formed
464th Missile Brigade. In May 1989, the 69th Motor Rifle Regiment transferred to the
35th Motor Rifle Division. The 1009th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade was also transferred to the
47th Guards Tank Division. The division was disbanded in June 1989 after withdrawal from
Jüterbog to
Krivoy Rog. == Commanders ==