45th Rifle Division ( Soviet Union ) The 45th Rifle Division was a Red Army infantry division formed originally during the Russian Civil War that fought in World War II and then served through the Cold War in the Leningrad Military District . The division was originally formed 16 June 1919 in the Odessa raion from the 5th Ukrainian Rifle Division . Second World War service . First Formation . It was attached to the Kiev Special Military District / Soviet Southwestern Front at the outbreak of World War II , as part of the 15th Rifle Corps , 5th Army . Under Colonel V . P . Solokov , it was earmarked to defend the mid - Volga River islands behind the hard - pressed 62nd Army on 7 October 1942 . However it was deployed in the Battle of Stalingrad proper on 26 October 1942 , being ferried over from the east to the west bank of the Volga River to take up positions between the Red October and the Barrikady factories . On 1 January 1943 the division was re - designated the 74th Guards Rifle Division . Second formation . The division was re - formed on 5 May 1943 in the Kareliya territory from the 67th Naval Rifle Brigade of the Karelian Front , on defensive boundaries at Loukhi Stations of the Kirov railway . After its formation the division was concentrated towards Kestenga ( Kiestinki ) , and from 6 May until 19 August 1943 was retained in the reserve of the 31st Rifle Corps in defensive positions . The division ' s first combat was on 9 August 1943 with the 61st Rifle Regiment and 85th Naval Rifle Brigade were supported by the 178th Artillery Regiment . On 20 August 1943 the division replaced the 85th Motor Rifle Brigade and 205th Rifle Division in the first echelon , and on 7 September 1943 conducted defensive operations against the Nazi 7th Infantry Division and 6th SS Mountain Division Nord . On 8 September 1944 the division had gone over to the offensive and on 10 September seized the Kestenga settlement . It was later relocated in the Kandalaksha direction to the area of Nyamozero Station . From 24 September till 28 September 1944 , the 45th Rifle Division attacked the settlement of Alakurtti . By 3 October 1944 the division had been relocated in the Murmansk direction and was a part of the army operations group , having the task to attack an auxiliary direction as part of the 14th Army . On 10 October 1944 , 45th Rifle Division had broken through defense of its opponent on the Zapadnaya Litsa River near the Lake Chapr area . On 13 October 1944 the division joined 131st Rifle Corps ( probably part of 14th Army ) and on October 15 in cooperation with elements of 131st Rifle Corps seized Petsamo ( as part of the Petsamo - Kirkenes Operation ) . From 16 October ntil 25 October 1944 it conducted operations for seizing the village of Tornet and the Norwegian city of Kirkenes . On 25 October 1944 the 61st Rifle Regiment and the 253rd Rifle Regiment of the division helped seize the port and city of Kirkenes . For actions on clearing Pechenga ( Petsamo ) the divisional staff was thanked officially by the Supreme Commander in Chief Joseph Stalin , and the division was given the honourable name " Pechenga " . For taking Kirkenes , the staffs of the 61st Rifle Regiment and 253rd Rifle Regiment were given the honorary name " Kirkenes " . On January 6 , 1945 for valour and courage in combat with fascist aggressors the 61st Rifle Regiment of the division was awarded the Military Order of the Red Banner . On 27 September 1945 parts of the division , following a decision of the Soviet government were withdrawn from Norway and billeted in Murmansk and the Pechenga area . Cold War service . In 1957 the division was renamed the 131st Pechenga Motor - Rifle Division . In 1968 , in days of celebrating the 25 anniversary of its second formation , the division was awarded the Order of Kutuzov , 2nd class . Russian Federation service . On 1 December 1997 the 131st MRD was reorganised as the 200th Pechenga Independent Motor - Rifle Brigade . The division , as the 200th Brigade , has been based for many years at Pechenga in Murmansk Oblast .