After becoming the 5th Rifle Division a month later, it fought in the Counteroffensive of Eastern Front in spring 1919 and later operations in Siberia.

In July, it fought in Operation Kutuzov and was awarded the honorific "Orel" after it captured the city on 4 August.

It continued to advance and participated in the Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive and reached the Dnieper before it went on the defensive in early December.

In February 1944, the division fought in the Rogachev-Zhlobin Offensive and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for its actions.

From June 1944, the division fought in Operation Bagration, It was awarded the Order of Suvorov 2nd class for breaking through German defenses on the Drut River.

It was later renamed as the 5th Rifle Division (October 1918), Saratov (1920), Vitebsk (1921), and 'in the name of the Czechoslovak Proletariat' (1925).

For successful operations during the Russian Civil War it was awarded the Honourable Revolutionary Red Banner in 1929.

The division participated in defensive fights on as part of the Soviet Western Front, in Moscow and at the Battle of Stalingrad, in fights for Donbass and clearing of Left-bank Ukraine, in the Gomel-Rechitsa, Belarus, Mlawo-Elbing, East Pomerania and the Berlin offensive operations.