This formation was assigned to the Volkhov Front near Leningrad, toiling through the so-called "Rat's War" in the wooded swamps of that region and taking significant casualties in the encirclement of its 2nd Shock Army near Lyuban in early 1942.

In January 1943, it helped to lead the partial raising of the German siege of Leningrad in Operation Iskra, distinguishing itself sufficiently to be redesignated as the 64th Guards Rifle Division.

Its basic order of battle was as follows: In late October the division was assigned to 26th Army, which was forming up in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command.

After regrouping, the attack was resumed on the 13th, this time with more effective artillery preparation, which shattered the defenses between two German infantry divisions and caused one of them to panic.

Over the following days the army's forces managed to carve small wedges into the enemy positions, but did not penetrate them until the 17th, with the help of more than 1,500 aircraft sorties, and advanced 5 – 10 km.

While the attack on the former failed, the bulk of the army, over 100,000 men, was able get past and advance as far as 75 km into the German rear, posing a grave threat to their forces in the Lyuban, Chudovo and Kirishi regions.

However, on February 27, elements of German I Corps attacked the flanks of the penetration, recaptured Krasnaya Gorka, and encircled the 327th and 80th Cavalry in Ryabovo.

During the Third Siniavino Offensive, which began on August 19, the division was employed on a secondary sector, south of the main assault front of 2nd Shock Army.

On January 12, 1943, Volkhov and Leningrad Fronts launched Operation Iskra, which finally opened a land corridor to the besieged city.