186th Rifle Division (1939 formation)

The 186th Rifle Division was a Soviet Red Army infantry division formed in 1939, prior to the Winter War. It participated in that conflict, specifically on the Karelian Isthmus against Finnish forces. The division was active in the early stages of World War II, fighting in the defensive battles following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. Its exact operational history and fate during the initial, chaotic months of the war require further research, but like many Soviet formations during that period, it likely suffered heavy casualties and may have been disbanded or reformed after suffering significant losses. Information on its specific engagements, command structure, and ultimate disposition remains somewhat fragmented across various sources.