The history of the LG Jaeger Regiment began in the year 1792 with the introduction of a new branch of service – the light infantry – under the leadership of Paul I of Russia.

The first step taken was to identify suitable recruits from among the so-called Gattchino troops (ru: Гатчинские войска / Gatchinskie voyska) in Gatchina and Pavlovsk, and to concentrate these men in separate Jaeger companies under the command of Major Anton Rachinski.

By All Highest Order (i.e. from the tsar) dated November 20, 1796; all units of the Gattchino troops received the status of "Old Guard" (ru: старая гвардия).

After sffering heavy losses during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) in fighting close to Varna on September 10, 1828, the second battalion had to be re-established.

During a holy memorial service on the battle area to Kulm in the year 1835, Nicholas I of Russia in person was evaluating the extraordinary merits of the LG Jager Regiment.

It was constructed during the period from 1849 to 1854 in memory to the victory of the coalition forces of Russia and Prussia in the Battle of Kulm against Napoleon, August 17, 1813, and the day of Saint Miron.

Throughout its history under the Russian Empire, the regiment wore the standard uniform of the Infantry of the Imperial Guard, which from 1683 to 1914 was predominantly of a dark green (eventually verging on black) colour.

The main distinctions of the Lifeguard Jaeger Regiment were the light green facings (plastron, cuffs and shoulder straps) edged in white piping.

Collars were of the same dark green as the tunic; piped in red and worn with distinctive regimental patterns of braid (litzen).

[3] In 1896, in recognition of service during the Russo-Turkish War, the entire regiment received the right to wear small bronze scrolls enscribed "For Telich 12 October 1877" on its full-dress shakos.

Nicholas II extended this privilege to include the issue of 63 bugle-horns to the Lifeguard Jaegers in place of the drums and fifes of other infantry regiments.