The 53rd was formed in 1931 as a territorial division; Ivan Boldin became its first commander and military commissar in April of that year, and would hold that position until December 1934.

Before the war it became part of the 21st Army in the Gomel Region of the Western Special Military District.

[3] Poirer and Connor, in their 1985 Red Army Order of Battle, say that the division fought at Yelnya, on the Dnieper River, at Uman and Targul Frumos.

For its actions in the capture of Jassy, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on 15 September 1944.

The division was disbanded on 30 June 1946 in the Odessa Military District with the 34th Rifle Corps of the 40th Army.