61st Motorised Rifle Division

61st order of Suvorov Training Motorised Rifle Division

61-я учебная мотострелковая ордена Суворова дивизия

Military Unit: 16716

Activated 25.6.57 in Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast, as the 61st Motorised Rifle Division, from the 61st Rifle Division.

Organisation 1960:

7.10.60 renamed 61st Training Motorised Rifle Division.

19.2.62 re-organised:

000 independent Training Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated
000 independent Training Missile Battalion was activated

In 1968 the 000 independent Training Sapper Battalion was renamed 000 independent Training Engineer-Sapper Battalion.

Organisation 1970:

163rd Training Motorised Rifle Regiment (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)
173rd Training Motorised Rifle Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
175th Training Motorised Rifle Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
232nd Training Tank Regiment (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)
405th Training Artillery Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
0000 Training Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Missile Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
1382nd independent Training Reconnaissance Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
811th independent Training Communications Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Chemical Defence Company (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
98th independent Training Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Motor Transport Battalion (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)

In 11.72 the 0000 independent Training Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion was activated.

Organisation 1980:

163rd Training Motorised Rifle Regiment (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)
173rd Training Motorised Rifle Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
175th Training Motorised Rifle Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
232nd Training Tank Regiment (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)
405th Training Artillery Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
0000 Training Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Missile Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
0000 independent Training Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
1382nd independent Training Reconnaissance Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
811th independent Training Communications Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Chemical Defence Company (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
98th independent Training Medical Battalion (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Motor Transport Battalion (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)

14.9.87 renamed 209th District Training Center.

Organisation 1988:

163rd Training Motorised Rifle Regiment (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)
173rd Training Motorised Rifle Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
175th Training Motorised Rifle Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
232nd Training Tank Regiment (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)
405th Training Artillery Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
0000 Training Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Missile Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
0000 independent Training Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
1382nd independent Training Reconnaissance Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
811th independent Training Communications Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Chemical Defence Company (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Ashkhabad, Ashkhabad Oblast)
98th independent Training Medical Battalion (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)
000 independent Training Motor Transport Battalion (Tedzhen, Ashkhabad Oblast)

5.92 taken over by Turkmenistan.

Headquarters:

Subordination:

Equipment 1985:

about 3000 men, T-55, BMP-1 (175 MSP), BTR-60/70 (173 MSP), 122mm M-30, Frog 7, 57mm S-60

Divisional coordinates:

Ashkhabad barracks [US designation: Ashkhabad Army Barracks AL 2]: 37 57 44N, 58 20 45E (173rd Training Motorised Rifle Regiment and 1382nd independent Training Reconnaissance Battalion)
Ashkhabad barracks [US designation: Ashkhabad Army Barracks AL 3]: 37 55 40N, 58 22 55E (Divisional HQ, 175th Training Motorised Rifle Regiment, 0000 Training Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, 811th independent Training Communications Battalion, 000 independent Training Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion, 000 independent Training Engineer-Sapper Battalion and 000 independent Training Chemical Defence Company)
Ashkhabad barracks [US designation: Ashkhabad Army Barracks AL 6]: 37 55 01N, 58 23 12E (405th Training Artillery Regiment, 000 independent Training Missile Battalion and 0000 independent Training Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion)
Tedzhen barracks [US designation: Tedzhen Army Barracks AL 1]: 37 21 08N, 60 32 04E (232nd Training Tank Regiment, 163rd Training Motorised Rifle Regiment, 98th independent Training Medical Battalion and 000 independent Training Motor Transport Battalion)

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