The 49th Guards Rifle Division was formed in the Western Front reserves near Moscow on 13 October 1942 from the remains of the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division.

After the end of the war the division became a part of the Southern Group of Forces, being reorganised as the 33rd Guards Mechanised Division.

[1] In September 1949 the 33rd Guards Mechanized Division[2] arrived in Timișoara from the Odessa Military District, becoming part of the Special Mechanized Army.

The 33rd Guards Mechanized Division was detached to the Special Corps and fought in Operation Whirlwind, the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

[3] After the end of the operation, the division became part of the newly reformed Southern Group of Forces.