Beginning the offensive on 12 July as part of the Western Front, the army broke through the main and reserve defensive lines of the German forces by the end of the first day.

It advanced 70 kilometers by 19 July, threatening the line of communications of the German forces around Oryol.

[1] During the Minsk and Vilnius Offensives of Operation Bagration, the army, in conjunction with other units, took Orsha, Borisov, Molodechno, Alytus, and crossed the Neman.

During October, the army broke through the German defenses on the approaches to East Prussia and reached the border of the latter, then advanced into the German border defenses, and advanced 70 kilometers after expanding the breakthrough to 75 kilometers.

During the East Prussian Offensive of 1945, the army entered battle from the second echelon, defeated the German troops around Insterburg, reached the Frisches Haff, and besieged Königsberg from the south.

[1] The 11th Guards fought in the taking of the city in early April, ending the Battle of Königsberg.

On 22 February 1968, it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on the 50th anniversary of the Soviet Armed Forces.

As the size of Soviet forces was reduced towards the end of the Cold War, the 26th Division was downsized into the 5190th Guards Weapons and Equipment Storage Base in September 1989.

The 11th Guards Army was disbanded on 1 February 1997 by being redesignated the Ground and Coastal Defence Forces of the Baltic Fleet.