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13th Army (Soviet Union)

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13th Army
Active
  • 1939–1940
  • 1941–1993
CountrySoviet Union
Ukraine
BranchSoviet Army
Ukrainian Army
SizeArmy
EngagementsRusso-Finnish War
World War II

The13th Army(Russian:13-я армия,romanized:13-ya armiya,Ukrainian:13-та армія,romanized:13-ta armiya) was a name given to severalfield armiesof theSoviet Union'sRed Army.Later armies existed until the 1990s, and the army survived as part of theUkrainian Ground Forcesfor some years.

Russo-Finnish War[edit]

The 13th Army was created again at the end of December 1939 as aseparate 13th Armyin the course of the Soviet advance into the Karelian Isthmus when the 7th Army was split into two, and also renamed separate, after being substantially reinforced.[1]As part of the 1940 February Vyborg offensive they were coordinated by the North Western Front in Leningrad, both armies were able to breach either first or second defensive positions in theMannerheim Line,but were unable to breach the main position. The separate 13th Army was allocated three of the eight rifle corps assigned to the operation.[2]

Commanders[edit]

World War II[edit]

The 13th Army (1st formation)headquarterswas formed in May 1941 in theWestern Special Military District,starting on 5 May inMogilevin accordance with the decision ofCentral Committee of the Communist PartyandSovnarkomof the USSR No.1113-460cc. dated 23 April 1941.[3]It was intended to comprised 21st,2nd,and 44th Rifle Corps.[4]In the beginning of JuneLieutenant GeneralPyotr Filatovarrived to take command. From the beginning ofOperation Barbarossathe Army included the21st Rifle Corps,50th Rifle Division,the8th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigadeand a number of other separate units. From the end of June 1941 the Army conducted defensive operations in theMinsk Fortified Region,on the Borisov direction and on theDnieper river.The formation conducted operations as part of theSoviet Western Frontand theSoviet Central Front.Parts of the Army held up theWehrmachtadvance for almost three weeks nearMogilyev.The172nd Rifle Divisionunder Major GeneralMikhail Romanovespecially distinguished itself in the combat. Parts of the Army participated in theBattle of Smolenskfrom 10 July to 10 September 1941. During September and October 1941 the Army was operating as part of theBryansk Frontand included the6th Rifle Division.

The Army fought as part of theCentral Frontin theBattle of Kurskin July 1943 under GeneralN.P. Pukhov,numbering four corps with twelve rifle divisions (including the75th Guards Rifle Division). The Army finished its war service in Germany within the1st Ukrainian Frontin 1945, consisting of the24th Rifle Corps(117th Guards Rifle Division,280th Rifle Division,395th Rifle Division), 27th Rifle Corps (6th Guards Rifle Divisionand121st Guards Rifle Division), 102nd Rifle Corps (147th Rifle Divisionand 172nd Rifle Divisions, which took part in theBattle of Halbe),17th Artillery Division,and many other smaller artillery and other formations.[5]

Commanders[edit]

  • Lieutenant General Pyotr Filatov (25.05 - 8.07.1941)
  • Lieutenant GeneralFyodor Remezov(9-13.07.1941)
  • Lieutenant GeneralVasyl Herasymenko(14-26.07.1941)
  • Major GeneralKonstantin Golubev(26.07 - 30.08.1941)
  • Major General Auxentios Gorodnyansky (31.08.1941 - 2.01.1942)
  • Major GeneralNikolai Pukhov(3.01.1942 - 3.06.1946), from 14 February 1943 Lieutenant General, from 26 August 1944 Colonel-General
  • Colonel GeneralMikhail Shumilov(4.06.1946 – 18.02.1947)
  • Colonel GeneralIssa Pliyev(19.02.1947 – 19.04.1948)
  • Colonel GeneralIvan Lyudnikov(20.04.1948 – 2.12.1949)
  • Lieutenant General Alexander Nechaev (3.12.1949 – 8.01.1953)
  • Lieutenant GeneralNikolay Oleshev(9.01.1953 – 5.04.1954)
  • Lieutenant GeneralGleb Baklanov(6.04.1954 – 23.02.1959)

Soviet Army[edit]

The Army was located for the entire postwar period in theLvivandCarpathian Military Districts,initially comprising threeRifle Corpswith a total of nine rifle divisions. From 1947 to 1949 it was commanded by GeneralIssa Pliyevwho was a renowned commander of severalCavalry mechanized groupsduring the war. It was for much of this period headquartered atRovno.Almost all its divisions were Guards formations: the 17th,51st,97th(the former 40th, 15th, and97thRifle Divisions). Only the24th(subsequently resubordinated to Military District control) and the161st Rifle Divisionwere not Guards, but both were renowned combat formations.

In 1960 the following divisions were assigned:[6]

In 1960 the 24th Motor Rifle Division was transferred to district control. In January 1965 the 99th Motor Rifle Division was redesignated the 161st Motor Rifle Division.

On 22 February 1968 the army was awarded theOrder of the Red Banner.

In 1970 the following divisions were assigned:

  • 51st Guards Motor Rifle Division (Vladimir-Volynskiy, Volynskaya Oblast)
  • 97th Guards Motor Rifle Division (Slavuta, Khmelnitskiy Oblast)
  • 161st Motor Rifle Division (Izyaslav, Khmelnitskiy Oblast)

In 1970 the 275th Motor Rifle Division (mobilisation) was activated, and the 62nd Anti-Aircraft Rocket Brigade was transferred from the 8th Tank Army.[7]

In 1980 the following divisions were assigned:

  • 51st Guards Motor Rifle Division (Vladimir-Volynskiy, Volynskaya Oblast)
  • 97th Guards Motor Rifle Division (Slavuta, Khmelnitskiy Oblast)
  • 161st Motor Rifle Division(Izyaslav, Khmelnitskiy Oblast)
  • 275th Motor Rifle Division (mobilisation) (Izyaslav, Khmelnitskiy Oblast)

In 1987 the 275th Motor Rifle Division (mobilisation) was disbanded.

Divisions in 1988:

Also part of the army in the late 1980s were the 119th Independent Helicopter Regiment atBrody(Mi-8, Mi-24), the 442nd Independent Helicopter Regiment atZhovtnevoye(Mi-24s), 62nd Anti-Aircraft Rocket Brigade (Lyuboml), 49th Independent Engineer Regiment, and 38th Rocket Brigade (Kremenets). In January 1992, the army, its facilities and most of the equipment was transferred to the newly-sovereignUkraine.[8]

Ukrainian Army[edit]

On 18 March 1992, in accordance with Decree No. 161 of the President of Ukraine, Major GeneralPetro Shulyakwas assigned as the army commander.[9]

Formation in 1989 Formation in 1991–92 (Ukraine)[10]
17th Guards Motor Rifle Division(Khmelnitskiy) Unchanged(?)
51st Guards Motor Rifle Division(Vladimir-Volynsky) No change
97th Guards Motor Rifle Division (Slavuta) 97th Guards Mechanised Brigade
161st Motor Rifle Division (Izyaslav) 161st Mechanised Brigade

Oleksandr Zatynaikolater became commander. On 27 December 1993, the 13th Army was redesignated as the13th Army Corps.[11]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Voroshilov K.E., Lessons of war with Finland, Unpublished report of Narkom for Defence of USSR K.E. VOroshilov at the plenum of ZK VKP(b), 28 March 1940, (Russian)[1]
  2. ^p.97, Vasilevsky A.M., A lifelong cause, 2nd ed., Politizdat, Moscow, 1973. (Russian), English translation by Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1981
  3. ^p.177, Lensky, A.G., Land forces of RKKA in the pre-war years, A reference, B&K Pub., St.Petersburg, 2000
  4. ^David Glantz, Stumbling Colossus, 206
  5. ^Combat composition of the Soviet Army,1 May 1945
  6. ^Holm/Feskov 2015,13th Combined Arms Army
  7. ^Holm,62nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade
  8. ^Feskov et al 2013, pp. 472–473
  9. ^"NAU-Online -> Про призначення командуючих арміями Збройних Сил України".Zakon.nau.ua. 18 March 1992. Archived fromthe originalon 2 November 2013.Retrieved1 November2013.
  10. ^Feskov et al 2004, 56, 104-105
  11. ^"70 років мужності і звитяги"[70 Years of Courage and Victory](PDF).Viisko Ukrainy(in Ukrainian). May 2011. p. 30.Retrieved15 April2020.

References[edit]

  • Feskov, V.I.; Golikov, V.I.; Kalashnikov, K.A.; Slugin, S.A. (2013).Вооруженные силы СССР после Второй Мировой войны: от Красной Армии к Советской[The Armed Forces of the USSR after World War II: From the Red Army to the Soviet: Part 1 Land Forces] (in Russian). Tomsk: Scientific and Technical Literature Publishing.ISBN9785895035306.
  • V.I. Feskov et al. 2004
  • A. M. Vasilevsky, Marshal of the Soviet Union: A Lifelong Cause,Progress Publishers,1981
  • [2]
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