The division fought in the Battle of Stalingrad for the next several months, and when Operation Uranus, the Soviet counteroffensive, began, the 278th was part of the 1st Guards Army (2nd formation), which became the 3rd Guards Army on 5 December. After fighting in Operation Uranus, which trapped the German 6th Army in Stalingrad, the division fought in Operation Little Saturn, which aimed to prevent relief of the 6th Army. Just before the operation began, on 10 December, the division had a strength of 5,331 men, 1,360 rifles, 381 sub-machine guns, 31 light machine guns, 20 heavy machine guns, 127 mortars, 31 76mm guns, and 7 45mm guns, a little more than half strength. The division distinguished itself in the offensive, which destroyed the Italian Eighth Army and prevented German relief attempts. On 3 January 1943, it was converted into the 60th Guards Rifle Division.