Guards unit (Soviet Union)

[1][2] Practical benefits of the status included double pay for ordinary soldiers and the designation often served as a morale-boosting source of unit pride.

The title of Guards within the Soviet Armed Forces was first introduced on 18 September 1941, at the direction of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka).

[6] The introduction of the title marked a shift away from the Revolutionary symbolism of the Red Army as it referenced the Russian Imperial Guards.

[8] Guards status also resulted in higher priority for replacements and equipment than normal units, although they were still often understrength by 1944 due to high casualty rates and their frequent usage in offensives.

[11] A Stavka order of April 1943 stipulated that Guards corps and armies were to be used only for offensives or counterattacks and withdrawn from the frontline for training instead of suffering losses in prolonged defense.

[17] Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Guards designations for military units have been retained by Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

[18] The 22nd Separate Guards Spetsnaz Brigade became the first Russian Armed Forces unit to be awarded the title in 2001, for its performance during the Second Chechen War.