402nd Infantry Division

The division was formed on the basis of the directive of the People’s Commissariat of Defense of August 11, 1941. The term for the formation of the division was set until September 15 ^[1] .

On August 26, 1941, the commander of the Transcaucasian Front signed a directive on the formation of the 402nd Infantry Division. On August 28 in the Azerbaijan SSR , in the city of Stepanakert , the formation of a division began. The personnel of the division before going to Iran : ^[2]

• Officers: 1,295 people
• Junior commanders: 1,088
• Ordinary staff : 8 104 people

9,400 fighters, i.e. 90% of the composition are Azerbaijanis by nationality. The division was armed with 4095 rifles , 1330 machine guns , 197 light machine guns , 40 easel machine guns , 205 anti-tank rifles , 295 guns , 197 mortars , 83 vehicles and other types of military equipment and vehicles.

• 833th Infantry Regiment
• 839th rifle regiment
• 840th Infantry Regiment
• 960th artillery regiment
• separate training infantry battalion
• 184th anti-tank fighter division
• 188th anti-aircraft battery (until 11/12/42)
• 672th mortar division (until 30.11.42)
• 459th reconnaissance company
• 848th communications battalion (694 separate communications company)
• 678th Engineer Battalion
• 475th chemical protection company
• 482nd Health Battalion
• 512th Motor Company
• 247th field bakery
• 822nd Division Veterinary Hospital
• 1456th Field Post Station
• 304th (727) field office of the State Bank

From October 1941 to April 1942 , after the Soviet-British and Soviet-Iranian agreements on the supply of arms by the "southern route" in order to ensure the safety of transportation, the division participates in the invasion of Iran . In May 1942, relocated to the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic . In September 1942, the 840th regiment of the division was checked by the commander of the Transcaucasian Front , Army General I.V. Tyulenev . The audit showed that the unit is ready for hostilities. September 24, 1942 the headquarters of the 44th Army in the division conducted 3-day exercises. They showed that the compound was militarily and politically prepared and could successfully engage in battle. October 4, 1942 - the division is transferred to Gudermes , where it is part of the 9th Rifle Corps of the 44th Army of the Transcaucasian Front. From October 3 to November 27, 1942 he held the defense of Grozny from the right bank of the Terek River. On November 30, 1942, the 402nd Azerbaijani Rifle Division, together with the 114th Division , the 416th Azerbaijan Rifle Division and the 5th Don Don Cossack Cavalry Corps, goes on a general offensive. Despite poor artillery support, the division advanced 34 km forward. The 3rd battalion of the 833th rifle regiment under the command of Captain M. Aliyev and senior lieutenant B. Rasulov knocked out the Germans from a height of 123.0, while the 8th rifle company of lieutenant A. Hajiyev captured a height of 115.6. However, due to the lack of support, many parts of the 402nd Division were surrounded by Germans and were forced to break out of the encirclement in battle.

An excerpt from the book “Year 1942 -“ Training ”” by V. Beshanov shows the general situation of the 402nd Division for that period:

In the area of ​​Naydenovskaya Grove and Prefabricated separate units were surrounded by enemy units and after a desperate struggle they died or were captured. Major Bayramov, the commander of the 839th infantry regiment, was also killed. On the morning of December 5, two rifle battalions of the 840th regiment under the command of Major M. Abdullaev again drove the Germans from a height of 123.0, but not being able to confront German tanks on December 6, were forced to leave a height of 123.0. Parts of the 833th regiment of Major A. Abbasov at that time held the defense north-east of Mozdok on the Ischerskaya-Kapustino-Novolezdnev-Mayorsk line. The Germans, to break through the defense, involved up to 100 units of armored vehicles. During the battle, the Germans, having lost 36 armored vehicles, retreated. For this battle, 75 soldiers and officers of the 833th Infantry Regiment were awarded orders and medals. On December 9, 15 tanks were assigned to continue the further offensive. After this, units of the division advanced another 12 km forward. During this time, the 402nd division liberates the settlements of Otrashnikovo, Staro-Bukhirovo, Shirkutovskoye, Khokhlatsky, Smirnovka, Poti-Onin, Prefabricated, Naydenovsky. On December 12, the 402nd division with battles liberated the city of Mozdok from German troops. As of December 12, up to 4,000 people remained in the division, that is, less than half of the full-time personnel. By decision of the military council of the 44th Army, it was decided to use the personnel of the division to replenish the 416th Infantry Division . The management and headquarters of the division were sent to Grozny for reformation. Since that time, the 402nd Infantry Division has been in the reserve of the Transcaucasian Front, in fact becoming the training national Azerbaijani division.

• Volkovich, Timofei Ivanovich (08.15.1941-22.02.1942), Colonel
• Huseynov, Ali Nagi Mammadgasan oglu (02.23.1942-09.12.1942), Colonel
• Syzranov, Dmitry Mikhailovich (10.12.1942-19.12.1942), Colonel
• Karakoz, Mark Trofimovich (12/20/1942 - 04/25/1944), Colonel, from 16/10/1943 Major General
• Aliyarbekov, Tarlan Abdullah oglu (04/26/1944 - 03/13/1945 ), Major General
• Zeynalov, Hajibaba Mammad oglu (03/14/1945.-09/05/1945), Colonel

• Abbasov A. , major
• Mammadov Mammad, Political Officer
• Dadashev A., lieutenant
• Rasulov B., lieutenant
• Mageramov, political officer

• National military units of the Red Army

• Buniyatov Z.M., Zeynalov R.E. From the Caucasus to Berlin. - Baku, 1990

• 402nd Azerbaijan Rifle Division
• On the formations in the Red Army, which were composed on a national basis