The 275th began forming on 10 July 1941 at Novomoskovsk, part of the Odessa Military District. Its basic order of battle included the 980th, 982nd, and the 984th Rifle Regiments, as well as the 807th Artillery Regiment. As a result of the German advance, the division was relocated to Novorossiysk in the North Caucasus Military District while still incomplete around 7 August. In late August it was assigned to the Southern Front's 6th Army. The division fought in the Barvenkovo–Lozovaya Offensive in January 1942, after which it transferred to the 37th Army. The 37th Army positions were south of the Soviet defeat at the Second Battle of Kharkov in May, but the army was still forced to retreat into the North Caucasus by Case Blue, the German summer offensive, which began in June. By late July, the army's rifle divisions were down to only 500 to 800 riflemen remaining, and its remaining artillery and mortars had almost no ammunition. In mid-August, the division defended positions along the Baksan River. The 275th and its army subsequently defended positions along the Terek River, and by September the division had been reinforced enough that it could counterattack the 13th Panzer Division. On 25 October, a German attack, the final assault of the III Panzer Corps towards Ordzhonikidze, broke through the 37th Army, overrunning or surrounding most of its units. Although the attack was contained by reserves, the 275th had suffered heavy losses and as a result was disbanded on 20 December.