189th Rifle Division

189th Rifle Division (March 14, 1941 - September 19, 1941) 189th Rifle Division (September 23, 1941 - 1946)
Active	1941–1946
Country	Soviet Union
Branch	Red Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Engagements	Operation Barbarossa Battle of Uman Leningrad strategic defensive Siege of Leningrad Operation Iskra Leningrad–Novgorod offensive Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha offensive Kingisepp–Gdov offensive Battle of Narva (1944) Baltic offensive Tartu offensive Riga offensive (1944)
Decorations	Order of the Red Banner (2nd formation)
Battle honours	Kingisepp (2nd formation)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Kombrig Aleksandr Semyonovich Chichkanov Col. Konstantin Akimovich Antonov Col. Aleksandr Dmitrievich Kornilov Col. Pavel Karpovich Loskutov Maj. Gen. Pavel Andreevich Potapov Col. Nikolai Vasilevich Simonov

The 189th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, originally formed as part of the prewar buildup of forces, based on the shtat (table of organization and equipment) of September 13, 1939. It began forming just months before the German invasion in the Kiev Special Military District, where it was soon assigned to the 55th Rifle Corps in the reserves of Southwestern Front. It soon left this Corps, first coming under direct command of Southern Front, and then joining 17th Rifle Corps in 18th Army. As the retreat continued through western Ukraine in July the 189th was again reassigned, now to the ill-fated 6th Army. In early August it was encircled near Uman and destroyed.

A second 189th was created on September 23, with the redesignation of the 6th Leningrad Militia Division in 42nd Army. It would mostly remain in this Army into early 1944, defending the southern suburbs of Leningrad on a heavily fortified and largely static front. Beginning of January 15 it took part in the breakthrough of the thick defenses, and as Leningrad Front's forces advanced westward it was transferred to 2nd Shock Army, being awarded a battle honor at the start of February while under this command. After reaching Narva it forced a river crossing, but operations on this sector soon bogged down and the 189th remained on the defensive until early August. At this point it joined in the offensive into Estonia, winning the Order of the Red Banner for its part in the fighting for Tartu, and then being moved to 67th Army for the duration of the war. After the fall of Riga it was largely engaged in coastal watch on the east shore of the Gulf of Riga for the duration of the war. It was disbanded in early 1946.