After forming and briefly taking part in the rear defenses of Moscow in early 1942 it was assigned to 4th Shock Army in Kalinin Front.

In March 1943 the division played a minor role in the follow-up to Army Group Center's evacuation of the Rzhev salient, and at the beginning of August liberated several strategic villages northeast of Smolensk, soon being rewarded with a battle honor.

During the following autumn and winter it took part in the grinding battles around Vitebsk until it was removed to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command for rebuilding and reorganization.

The 234th fought across Poland and into Pomerania early in 1945, winning two decorations in the process before being transferred to the 61st Army for the final offensive into northeast Germany.

Its first commander, Col. Fyodor Antonovich Laminskii, was officially appointed on November 2 although he had been instrumental in forming the division from the start, along with his deputy, Commissar M. P. Smirnov.

On February 10 the division began moving north through the snow to join the 4th Shock Army of Kalinin Front at Toropets,[7] which had been liberated on January 21.

[13] By this time Operation Mars, the latest effort to defeat 9th Army in the Rzhev salient, was close to culminating, but the division had played no direct role in it.

[16] Prior to the start of the Soviet summer offensive on this sector the Army organized a small-scale operation by part of the division on August 1 which liberated several villages near the front line and soon earned it a unique battle honor:LOMONOSOVO – ... part of the forces of 234th Rifle Division (Colonel Turyev, Stepan Ilich)...

The troops that broke through the enemy’s heavily fortified zone and defeated his long-held strongholds of Lomonosovo and others, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of 19 September 1943 and a commendation in Moscow, are given a salute of 12 artillery salvoes by 124 guns.

Although there were no further panicked withdrawals by units of II Luftwaffe Field Corps the attack gained about 20 km but ultimately faltered just short of the Nevel-Gorodok-Vitebsk railroad and highway.

[21] Despite this initial success, for reasons that remain uncertain Yeryomenko reined in his advancing forces on October 9 and by the next day German reserves had managed to cordon off the huge salient, which thwarted any immediate push toward Vitebsk.

In response the 20th Panzer Division, although it had fewer than 20 tanks on strength, was ordered to counterattack and managed to contain the advance after two days of heavy fighting.

Due to increasing German resistance and deteriorating weather the Soviet advance was brought to a temporary halt on November 11.

The STAVKA ordered a regrouping which resulted in 83rd Corps moving to 43rd Army on November 14 with the objective of cutting the rail line between Zhukovo and Ezerishche.

[25] By this time forces of 3rd Panzer Army were still clinging to a deep salient running north from Gorodok to not far south of Nevel, deeply flanked by 4th Shock to the west and the remainder of 1st Baltic Front to the east.

At this time 83rd Corps had only the 234th and 235th Divisions under command and was deployed on 11th Guards' left flank, directly north of the German-held village of Khvoshno, with the 234th to the west.

3rd Panzer Army requested permission to take the front back but was refused as Hitler remained determined to close the "Nevel Gap".

A day later the 211th was encircled and had no choice but to attempt a breakout, which occurred overnight on December 16/17 at the cost of 2,000 of its 7,000 troops and all of its artillery, heavy weapons and vehicles.

[30] In preparation for a renewed offensive on Vitebsk the 83rd and 2nd Guards Corps were concentrated on 4th Shock's left wing, deployed along the Sirotino–Gorodok road between Ostrovliane and Mylnishche.

[36] The Corps had sent one rifle battalion as a forward detachment and this helped to confirm that the German forces had already begun to fall back on their next defensive line.

On July 20 the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps entered the breach created by 47th Army and reached the Western Bug River by 1030 hours, forcing a crossing as early as 1600.

Meanwhile, the left flank reached a line from Wielgolas to Wilchta to Goździk, engaging elements of Corps Detachment "E", 5th Jäger and 211th Infantry Divisions along with recently arrived reinforcements.

Brest was taken on July 29 and the Front's forces closed up to the Vistula and Warsaw, seizing a pair of bridgeheads over the river before the advance ground to a halt in the first days of August.

The troops that participated in the battles for the liberation of the Praga fortress, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of 14 September 1944 and a commendation in Moscow, are given a salute of 20 artillery salvoes by 224 guns.

The troops that participated in the battles for the liberation of Warsaw, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of 17 January 1945, and a commendation in Moscow, are given a salute of 24 artillery salvoes by 324 guns.

As the Front's right flank lengthened to 110–120 km by January 25 the 47th, 1st Polish, and 3rd Shock Armies were brought up to guard against any counteroffensive from German forces in East Pomerania.

[44] Over the following weeks the Front's right wing forces eliminated the German garrisons blockaded in Schneidemühl, Deutsch Krone, and Arnswalde, but otherwise gained only up to 10 km of ground.

[45] Despite this minor setback, the 234th would be awarded the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 2nd Degree, on April 5 for its part in taking Deutsch Krone.

[49] For its actions in the recapture of Stargard, Naugard, and Polzin the division received its final decoration, the Order of Suvorov, 2nd Degree, on April 26.

11095 of May 29, 1945, parts 5 and 6, the 234th is listed as one of the rifle divisions to be transferred to the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany by June 3 but also to be "disbanded in place" shortly thereafter.