At the opening of Operation Barbarossa the division was in the same district and had the following order of battle: In May the division had been brought up to a strength of about 12,000 men with the addition of workers and collective farmers, including 396 Communist Party members and candidates and 2,170 Komsomols, indicating a high proportion of younger and well-motivated men.

The division distinguished itself in the Battle of Smolensk for its stubborn defensive fighting and local counterattacks, and it was withdrawn to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command in September.

On Sept. 18, in recognition of its earlier distinctions and its success in the Yelnya Offensive, the 161st became the fourth of the original four rifle divisions raised to the status of Guards on that date.

[5] During these months the division was participating in the winter counteroffensive that partly surrounded and destroyed German 2nd Army, and as this ground to a halt in the spring it found itself well into what became known as the Kursk salient.

[6] During the Battle of the Dniepr, on Sept. 23, the 161st forced a crossing of the river at Zarubentsy,[7] becoming part of the Bukrin Bridgehead, and 32 men were awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

In the late 1980s the 161st Motor Rifle Division comprised:[9] Total: 186 tanks, 80 BMP, 1 BTR, 12 MLRS In January 1992 the division became part of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, but was soon reorganized as the 161st Separate Mechanised Brigade on 1 December 1993 while the 13th Army became the 13th Army Corps.