From the beginning of the war, the Soviet Army strongly emphasized the development of airborne forces and their use behind enemy lines.

The 15th Guards Airborne Division (Russian: 15-я гвардейская воздушно-десантная дивизия) was created in June 1943 and initially deployed in the cities of Ramenskoye and Zvenigorod.

In June 1944, the division was sent to the Karelian Front to take place in an operation aimed at clearing Karelia of Finnish forces.

Taking heavy casualties, the division advanced north and arrived to the shore of Vidlitsa river on July 1, 1944.

After yet another assault crossing and heavy fight, the offensive stopped on July 14, 1944, and the division assumed a defensive stance until mid-August.

The operation lasted in total for 40 days, with the division advancing more than 200 kilometers starting from its initial positions around Leningrad.

Five days later, the troops arrived within sight of Vienna, which was turned into a fortress defended by the II SS Panzer Corps and ad hoc training and anti-aircraft units.

In 1946, it was relocated to Belaya Tserkov' and there on 7 June 1946 renamed the 100th Guards Svir Red Banner Airborne Division (100-я гвардейская Свирская Краснознамённая воздушно-десантная дивизия).