| 218th Motorized Division (February 1941 - September 8, 1941) 218th Rifle Division (September 8, 1941 - September 27, 1942) 218th Rifle Division (June 20, 1943 - July 1945) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941–1945 |
| Country |  Soviet Union |
| Branch | Red Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Motorized Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of the Sea of Azov Battle of Rostov (1941) Case Blue Belgorod–Kharkov offensive operation Battle of the Dniepr Battle of Kiev (1943) Ozarichi-Ptich Offensive Lvov–Sandomierz offensive Vistula–Oder offensive Lower Silesian offensive Siege of Breslau |
| Decorations |  Order of Lenin (2nd formation) Order of the Red Banner (2nd formation) Order of Suvorov (2nd formation) |
| Battle honours | Romodan (2nd formation) Kiev (2nd formation) |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Maj. Gen. Aleksei Pavlovich Sharagin Col. Pavel Trofimovich Klyushnikov Maj. Gen. Sergei Fyodorovich Sklyarov Col. Nikolai Nikolaevich Mezenev Col. Vasilii Ilich Baklanov  Col. Pyotr Savelevich Eroshenko |
The 218th Rifle Division was formed as an infantry division of the Red Army after a motorized division of that same number was redesignated about 10 weeks after the start of the German invasion of the Soviet Union.
The division retreated through the southern Ukraine during the autumn until it took part in the defense of Rostov-na-Donu and the counteroffensive in December. Following this it remained on the defensive through the winter and spring of 1942 as part of 37th Army until the German summer offensive began. Retreating again in the face of the 1st Panzer Army most of the 218th was encircled near Millerovo in mid-July and although some elements escaped the division was officially disbanded in September.
A new 218th was formed in June 1943 in the Steppe Military District based on the cadres of two rifle brigades that had been involved in the amphibious landings west of Novorossiysk in February. It was assigned to the 47th Army and fought its way through eastern Ukraine in August and September, winning a battle honor on the way. It made three east-to-west crossings of the Dniepr up to early November when it played a role in the liberation of the Ukrainian capital, gaining another battle honor and soon after the Order of the Red Banner. During the subsequent German counteroffensive it was encircled at Zhytomyr and was forced to break out at the cost of heavy losses in men and equipment; although it returned to the fighting in January 1944 it was clearly not fully combat capable and went back to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command shortly after. In April it returned as part of 3rd Guards Army in 1st Ukrainian Front. The 218th served with distinction in the Lvov–Sandomierz operation, forcing a bridgehead over the Vistula in August. Before the winter offensive into Poland and Germany it was transferred to 6th Army and won a further decoration in the Lower Silesian offensive before taking part in the siege of Breslau for the duration of the war. After the German surrender it was awarded the Order of Lenin but nevertheless was disbanded shortly after.