It was descended from Red Army World War II formations.

Mikhail Tikhonov commanded both the 2nd Airborne Corps and the later 32nd Guards Rifle Division.

The division fought at Krasnodar, on the Kuban, and in Crimea prior to fighting in Kurland.

After the war it was reduced for a time to the 5th Independent Guards Rifle Brigade.

[3] In October 1989 the division was renamed the 5210th Guards Weapons and Equipment Storage Base.