29th Army (Soviet Union)

The Soviet Red Army's 29th Army was a field army of the Red Army and later the Russian Ground Forces.

It was first formed in July 1941 in the Moscow Military District on the basis of 30th Rifle Corps. The 245th, 252nd, 254th and 256th Rifle Divisions, and a number of smaller units made up the Army. It joined the Front of reserve armies and conducted defensive works at Staraya Russa, Demyansk, Ostashkov, Selizharovo. It was reassigned on July 21, 1941 to the Soviet Western Front, and with Western Front it took part in the Battle of Smolensk, conducted defensive fights in area to the south of the city of Toropets and on left I protect Volga on a site Rzhev, Staritsa. As part of the Soviet Western Front, since October, 17th of the Kalinin Front it participated in the defense of Kalinin, and the Kalinin, Rzhev–Vyazma 1942, and Rzhev–Sychyovka offensive operations (the Battles of Rzhev). From the end of August 1942 the army defended occupied boundaries on the left bank of the Volga River. In the beginning of February, 1943 the Army's units were transferred to Fifth Army and 20th Army, and the headquarters was reorganised as headquarters First Tank Army.

Commanders:
* I. I. Maslennikov (July 4 (?) - December, 11th 1941), general-lieutenant;
* I. Shvetsov (on December, 12th 1941 - September 1942), general-major;
* Zhuravlyov (September 1942 - January 1943), general-major.

It appears the Army HQ was reformed in 1968-9 in the Transbaikal Military District as part of the response to what was perceived as an increasing threat from China. It was active until 1992, when it was downgraded to an Army Corps, but then was reformed from 57th Army Corps at Ulan-Ude in 2004, and was active in the Siberian Military District until 2007, when it was apparently again disbanded. Its units in 2003-7 included 5th Guards Tank Division, the recently reformed 245th Motor Rifle Division at Gusinoozyorsk, [See Siberian Military District page at http://www8.brinkster.com/vad777/glavn.htm] and the 11th Air Assault Brigade.

Sources and References

* http://samsv.narod.ru/Arm/a29/arm.html
* http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/9059/RussianArmedForces.html for current units