8th Rocket Division

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name = 8th Melitopol Red Banner Rocket Division


25th Rocket Brigade (1960–1961)

| native_name = 8-я ракетная Мелитопольская Краснознаменная дивизия

| image = Sleeve patch of the 8th Missile Division.svg

| dates = 1961–present

| country = {{flag|Soviet Union}} (1960–1991)
{{RUS}} (1991–present)

| branch = 24px Strategic Rocket Forces

| command_structure = 31st Rocket Army

| garrison = Yurya, Kirov Oblast

| decorations = {{OrderRedBanner (symbol)}}

| commander1 = Colonel Yuri V. Yatsyno

}}

The 8th Melitopol Red Banner Rocket Division (Russian: 8-я ракетная Мелитопольская Краснознаменная дивизия) (Military Unit Number 44200) is a military formation of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces formed in 1961.{{Cite web |title=8-я ракетная Мелитопольская Краснознаменная дивизия (в/ч 44200) |url=https://rvsn.info/divisions/div_008.html |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=rvsn.info}}

The unit operates RT-2PM Topol intercontinental ballistic missile launchers. It is garrisoned in Yurya, Kirov Oblast.{{Cite web |title=8-я ракетная дивизия (г. Юрья) |url=https://rvsn.ruzhany.info/8rd/index.html |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=rvsn.ruzhany.info}}{{Cite web |title=Юрьянское ракетное соединение (Мелитопольская Краснознаменная ракетная дивизия) |url=https://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/strategic_rocket/structure/details.htm?id=11232@egOrganization |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=structure.mil.ru}}

History

In 1960 the 25th Rocket Brigade was formed. The new unit was given the awards and honors of the 91st Rifle Division, disbanded 1959.{{cite web | url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/rvsn/8md.htm | title=8th Missile Division }} In 1961 the 25th Rocket Brigade was renamed and enlarged to the 8th Rocket Division.

Commanders

class="wikitable"

|+Commanders of the 8th Rocket Division

!No.

!Name

!From

!To

1

|Major General Aleksander G. Savelyev

|20 August 1960

|28 May 1965

2

|Major General Andrei G. Gontarenko

|28 May 1965

|20 May 1971

3

|Major General Veniamin P. Plyusnin

|20 May 1971

|18 March 1976

4

|Major General Vladimir Ye. Balikhin

|18 March 1976

|5 August 1981

5

|Major General Anany V. Politsyn

|5 August 1981

|1 December 1985

6

|Major General Vladimir A. Babeshko

|1 December 1985

|21 January 1989

7

|Major General Vladimir I. Kalyanov

|21 January 1989

|30 November 1993

8

|Major General Vasily I. Malafeyev

|30 November 1993

|14 June 1995

9

|Major General Gennady N. Kovalenko

|14 June 1995

|16 June 1999

10

|Major General Sergei A. Artemyev

|16 June 1999

|3 September 2002

11

|Major General Sergei I. Arzamastsev

|3 September 2002

|9 November 2005

12

|Major General Vitaly V. Golovach

|9 November 2005

|July 2007

13

|Colonel Eduard Ye. Stefantsov

|July 2007

|22 October 2009

14

|Colonel Igor S. Afonin

|22 October 2009

|October 2010

15

|Colonel Leonid A. Mikholap

|25 October 2010

|February 2012

16

|Colonel Yuri V. Yatsyno

|March 2012

|present

Structure

= 1998 =

Source:

  • 76th Rocket Regiment
  • 79th Rocket Regiment
  • 107th Rocket Regiment
  • 304th Rocket Regiment
  • 776th Rocket Regiment

= 2004 =

Source:

  • 76th Rocket Regiment
  • 304th Rocket Regiment
  • 776th Rocket Regiment
  • 224th Helicopter Squadron (Military Unit No. 19964)
  • 836th Technical Base and Repair Depot (Military Unit No. 14092)
  • 2434th Technical Missile Base (Military Unit No. 12829)

References