5th Guards Zimovnikovskaya Red Banner order of Kutuzov Motorised Rifle Division imeni 60th Anniversary SSSR

5-я гвардейская мотострелковая Зимовниковская Краснознамённая ордена Кутузова дивизия имени 60-летия СССР

Military Unit: 11904; from 12.79: 51852

Activated 25.6.57 in Kushka, Mary Oblast, as the 53rd Guards Motorised Rifle Division, from the 5th Guards Mechanised Division.

Organisation 1960:

• 369th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 371st Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 373rd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 24th Guards Tank Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 1072nd Guards Artillery Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 1122nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 650th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 68th independent Guards Sapper Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 388th independent Communications Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 164th independent Chemical Defence Company (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 46th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 685th independent Motor Transport Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)

19.2.62 re-organised:

• 177th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated
• 307th independent Missile Battalion was activated

11.1.65 renamed 5th Guards Motorised Rifle Division.

In 1968 the 68th independent Guards Sapper Battalion was renamed 68th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion.

In 4.70 the 369th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment was replaced by the 101st Motorised Rifle Regiment. Most likely at the same time, the 1072nd Guards Artillery Regiment was replaced by the 1060th Artillery Regiment.

Organisation 1970:

• 101st Motorised Rifle Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 371st Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 373rd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 24th Guards Tank Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 1060th Artillery Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 1122nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 307th independent Missile Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 650th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 68th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 388th independent Communications Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 164th independent Chemical Defence Company (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 177th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 46th independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 685th independent Motor Transport Battalion (Kushka, Mary Oblast)

15.11.72 re-organised:

• 1377th independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion was activated
• 000 independent Reactive Artillery Battalion was activated - absorbed by the Artillery Regiment in 5.80

In 1980 the 685th independent Motor Transport Battalion was renamed 375th independent Material Supply Battalion.

27.12.79 crossed the border into Afghanistan, and would be deployed at Herat and Shindand for more than 9 years.

Organisation 1980:

• 101st Motorised Rifle Regiment (Herat, Afghanistan)
• 371st Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 373rd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 24th Guards Tank Regiment (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 1060th Artillery Regiment (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 1122nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 307th independent Missile Battalion (Herat, Afghanistan)
• 1377th independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 650th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 68th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 388th independent Communications Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 164th independent Chemical Defence Company (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 177th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 46th independent Medical Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 375th independent Material Supply Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)

In 3.80 the 373rd Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment left the division, and was renamed 70th independent Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade.

17.12.82 named "imeni 60-Letiya SSSR".

3.85 the 12th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment arrived from Kaliningrad, Kaliningrad Oblast, and joined the division.

In 10.86 the 24th Guards Tank Regiment and 1122nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment returned to Kushka, Mary Oblast.

4.85 awarded the Red Banner for service in Afghanistan.

Organisation 1988:

• 12th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Herat, Afghanistan)
• 101st Motorised Rifle Regiment (Herat, Afghanistan)
• 371st Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 24th Guards Tank Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 1060th Artillery Regiment (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 1122nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Kushka, Mary Oblast)
• 307th independent Missile Battalion (Herat, Afghanistan)
• 1377th independent Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 650th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 68th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 388th independent Communications Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 164th independent Chemical Defence Company (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 177th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 46th independent Medical Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)
• 375th independent Material Supply Battalion (Shindand, Afghanistan)

Disbanded 3.89 - absorbed by the 88th Motorised Rifle Division.

Headquarters:

• Kushka, Mary Oblast, 6.57 - 12.79 [35 16 44N, 62 20 28E]
• Shindand, Afghanistan, 12.79 - 2.89 [33 23 32N, 62 17 57E]
• Kushka, Mary Oblast, 2.89 - 3.89 [35 16 44N, 62 20 28E]

Subordination:

• 1st Army Corps, 6.57 - 4.70
• Turkestan Military District, 4.70 - 12.79
• 40th Combined Arms Army, 12.79 - 2.89
• Turkestan Military District, 2.89 - 3.89

Divisional coordinates:

• HQ (Kushka): 35 16 44N, 62 20 28E
• HQ (Shindand): 33 23 32N, 62 17 57E
• Kushka barracks: 35 16 39N, 62 20 04E - large area south of the railway line
• Herat deployment area: 101st Motorised Rifle Regiment (34 97 92N, 62 13 47E) and 12th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (34 07 00N, 62 12 57E)
• Shindand barracks (large deployment area): 33 25 51N, 62 17 48E

The division was maintained as a Not Ready Division - High-Strength Cadre (US terms: Category III) - manning was about 25% (3000 men) - with one regiment maintained as a Ready Regiment with 1200 men. Mobilised in 1979 as a Ready Division - First Line (US terms: Category I), with over 90% manning.