page_title: 88th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
section_title: Minsk Offensive
hierarchical_section_title: 88th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) / Operation Bagration / Minsk Offensive
caption_attribution_description: English: Operation Bagration: Pocket of Minsk, Development June 29 1944, 1000 PM - July 03 1944, 1000 PM Deutsch: Operation Bagration: Kessel von Minsk, Entwicklung vom 29. Juni 1944, 22:00 bis zum 03. Juli 1944, 22:00
context_page_description: The 88th Rifle Division was twice formed as an infantry division of the Red Army, first as part of the prewar buildup of forces. In its first formation in the far north it had an unusual shtat probably to facilitate its movement in the roadless tundra and forests of that region. During the Winter War against Finland it saw action in the fighting around Salla. Its organization again proved beneficial in the spring of 1942 during the first stages of the Great Patriotic War. It played a large role in holding and then pushing back the Finnish III Army Corps during Operation Silver Fox and for this success was redesignated as the 23rd Guards Rifle Division.
  A new 88th began forming in April, 1942 based on the first formation of the 39th Rifle Brigade, mostly in the Moscow Military District and was soon assigned to the 31st Army of Western Front; it would remain in that Army for the duration of the war. It took part in the savage and mostly fruitless fighting around the Rzhev salient into the winter of 1942/43 and then in the summer offensive that liberated Smolensk.
context_section_description: After the battle for Vitebsk the division advanced along the highway to Minsk to rejoin 71st Corps as it and the 36th Rifle Corps were consolidating the success of 5th Guards Tank Army which was operation ahead. 31st Army had been assigned a leading role in the liquidation of the defeated and mostly-encircled German 4th Army and the liberation of the Belorussian capital, which was completed on July 4. On the previous day a decree of the STAVKA read, in part:
  "MINSK" - 426th Rifle Regiment (Lt. Colonel Uzvak, Pavel Dmitrievich)... 611th Rifle Regiment (Lt. Colonel Sadkovskii, Yosif Vikentevich)... 758th Rifle Regiment (Lt. Colonel Moshtakov, Evgenii Filaretovich... The troops who participated in the liberation of Minsk, by the order of the Supreme High Command of 3 July 1944, and a commendation in Moscow, are given a salute of 24 artillery salvoes from 324 guns.
  In addition to these battle honors on July 23 the 88th as a whole would receive the Order of the Red Banner for its part in the clearing of the city.
caption: Map of the Minsk Offensive. Note route of 31st Army.
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