42nd Motor Rifle Division

in 1940, and became 24th Guards Rifle Division in March 1942 С.Н.Жилин и др. "Под гвардейским знаменем".Архангельск/Вологда. 1980 г.] Based in the North Caucasus following World War II, it seems to have become 42nd Guards MRD in 1957, while at Grozny.

In 1987 it became 173 Guards District Training Centre, and it comprised in 1991 of three Motor Rifle Regiments, one Tank rgt, one Guards Training Artillery rgt and one Air-Defense regiment. In November 1990 it had a total of 219 tanks, 187 being T-55s. By June 1993 173 Guards Training Centre had been disbanded and had handed over half its weapons to the Chechens in order to evacuate the other half unhindered.

The Division did not reform until the late 1990s. Following the beginning of the Second Chechen War it was announced in December 1999 as the permanent garrison force for Chechnya and various military districts started raising its regiments separately in 2000. Michael Orr, "Russia's Chechen War Reaches Crisis Point", Jane's Intelligence Review, October2000.] The Division is now headquartered at Khankala.

The 42nd Division includes two Chechen battalions, the "Vostok" and "Zapad" units. [http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/0/2A70ED295DFC411EC22571FD0049FC9E?OpenDocument. Sulim Yamadayev commands the Vostok battalion. ] The two battalions are apparently GRU Spetsnaz units but under the operational command of 42nd Division.

Subordinated units in 1991

*70th Motor Rifle Regiment;
*71st Motor Rifle Regiment;
*72nd Motor Rifle Regiment;
*392nd Tank Regiment;
*50th Guards Training Artillery Regiment;
*1203rd Anti-aircraft Missile Regiment;

References