World War II Ilya Smirnov Andrei Bondarev Vladimir Kirpichnikov The 43rd Rifle Division was a formation of the Red Army, which took part in the Second World War, known to the Soviets as the "Great Patriotic War".

The division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for participation in the Winter War.

On June 24, 1941, when the Northern Front was formed, it became part of the 50th Rifle Corps, 23rd Army.

In 1941 it fought in the defence of the Karelian isthmus during the Continuation War.

In the summer of 1945, the division moved to Kuybyshev, in the Ural Military District.