In August 1945 the division, as a part of 1st Far East Front, participated in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria.

On 9 August 1945 the division began operations as part of 35th Army,[3] advancing 12 kilometers, having forced the Songacha River in northern Heilongjiang.

For its valour in combat and courage, the 66th Rifle Division was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, Second Degree, on 19 September 1945.

In 2009, as part of the Russian Ground Forces' transition to brigades, the division appears to have been reorganised as the 59th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade at Sergeevka[8] from the main body of the division, equipped with BMPs, and the 60th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade at Lipovtsy, Primorsky Krai from the 218th Tank Regiment of the division, also equipped with BMPs.

[9] According to a Krasnaya Zvezda article, the division was reformed by 1 December 2018 from the 59th and the 60th Motor Rifle Brigades and began combat training in March 2019.