Formed in the summer of 1941, the 290th fought in the Battle of Smolensk, Operation Bagration, the Vistula–Oder Offensive, and the East Pomeranian Offensive during the rest of the war before its postwar disbandment in 1946.

The 290th began forming on 12 July 1941 at Kalyazin in the Moscow Military District from reservists.

In late September, the division was encircled in the Bryansk pocket by Operation Typhoon, the German advance on Moscow.

The division fought in Operation Bagration and was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class, for recapturing Grodno.

By August it began to outrun its supply lines, and received 1200 rear area conscripts and militia from Grodno, and 380 newly drafted civilians from areas it advanced through as replacements.