The 363rd Rifle Division formed in August 1941, as a standard

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

rifle division, in the

Sverdlovsk Oblast Sverdlovsk Oblast ( rus, Свердловская область, Sverdlovskaya oblastʹ, p=svʲɪrdˈlofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject (an oblast) of Russia located in the Ural Federal District. Its administrative center is the c ...

. It may be considered a "sister" division to the 361st Rifle Division. After forming, it was assigned to the 30th Army, and played a role in the near-encirclement of the German 9th Army around

Rzhev Rzhev ( rus, Ржев, p=ˈrʐɛf) is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Staritsa and from Tver, on the highway and railway connecting Moscow and Riga. It is the uppermost town situated on the Volga River. Population: Hist ...

in the winter counteroffensive of 1941-42. In recognition of its tactical successes it was reorganized as the 22nd Guards Rifle Division in March 1942. A new 363rd was formed in November 1944, in the far east of the USSR. It saw very limited action during the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945, primarily in a pursuit and exploitation role.

1st Formation

The division began forming in August 1941 in the Urals Military District in the Sverdlovsk Oblast. Its basic order of battle was as follows: * 1205th Rifle Regiment * 1207th Rifle Regiment * 1209th Rifle Regiment * 926th Artillery Regiment Col. Karp Sviridov was not assigned to command of the division until September 25, but he would continue in command through the existence of this formation. It spent about three months in the Urals forming and training. In December the division was assigned to the 30th Army, in

Kalinin Front The Kalinin Front was a major formation of the Red Army active in the Eastern Front of World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions ...

. Beginning on January 8, 1942, this Army took part in the Sychevka- Vyasma Offensive Operation, which was planned "to encircle, and then capture or destroy the enemy's entire

Mozhaisk MozhayskAlternative transliterations include ''Mozhaisk'', ''Mozhajsk'', ''Mozhaĭsk'', and ''Možajsk''. (, ) is a town and the administrative center of Mozhaysky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located to the west of Moscow, on the histori ...

Gzhatsk Gagarin (), known until 1968 as Gzhatsk (), is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative centre of Gagarinsky District, Smolensk Oblast, Gagarinsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Gzhat River, n ...

- Vyasma grouping", that is, what later became known as the

salient. 30th Army operated mostly north and northwest of Rzhev itself, and the 363rd advanced over 30km in early January, driving the German forces out of several villages and small towns in the area. The division was recognized for its achievements in this counteroffensive on March 17 when it became the 22nd Guards Rifle Division, the same day that the 361st became the 21st Guards.

2nd Formation

It was not until November 25, 1944, that a new 363rd was formed, this time in the 35th Army of the

Far Eastern Front The Far Eastern Front (Russian: Дальневосточный фронт) was a front — a level of military formation that is equivalent to army group — of the Red Army during the Second World War. Early war service Тhe Far Eastern Front wa ...

. It was under the command of Col. Savva Dmitrievich Pechenenko until at least September 3, 1945. Its order of battle was as follows: *395th Rifle Regiment *404th Rifle Regiment *488th Rifle Regiment *501st Artillery Regiment *187th Antitank Battalion *468th SU Battalion (13 SU-76s) *50th Sapper Battalion The division spent its entire career in 35th Army. It is shown in the order of battle for January 1, is not present on February 1, but reappears as of March 1, remaining there until August. When the Soviet invasion of Manchuria began that month, 35th Army was in the 1st Far Eastern Front, attacking the Hutou Fortified Region. The 363rd played little role in attacking the fortifications, and it mostly served as a mobile pursuit force aided by its battalion of SU-76s.Sharp, ''"Red Swarm"'', p. 129 Along with the 35th Army headquarters, it was disbanded in late September 1945 in accordance with the order that established the Primorsky Military District.

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External links

Karp Vasilevich Sviridov
{{Soviet Union divisions before 1945 363 Military units and formations established in 1941 Military units and formations disestablished in 1946