Army ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation

Summary

The ranks and insignia used by Russian Ground Forces are inherited from the military ranks of the Soviet Union, although the insignia and uniform has been altered slightly.

Civil service insignia may be confused with military insignia. Civil servants within the Russian Ministry of Defense may carry green or black service uniforms. See State civilian and municipal service ranks of the Russian Federation for a list of civil ranks.

Ranks and insignia edit

The following is a table of ranks of the armed forces of the Russian Federation. English translation is given first, followed by Russian version, then by English transliteration.

Officers edit

Category Troop ranks[1] Dress uniform[2] Everyday uniform[3] Field uniform[4]
Supreme
and
general officers
Marshal of the Russian Federation[a]
Ма́ршал Росси́йской Федера́ции
Márshal Rossíyskoy Federátsii
     
Army general
Генера́л а́рмии
Generál ármii
     
Colonel general
Генера́л-полко́вник
Generál-polkóvnik
     
Lieutenant general
Генера́л-лейтена́нт
Generál-leytenánt
     
Major general
Генера́л-майо́р
Generál-mayór
     
Senior officers
or
field grade officers
Colonel
Полко́вник
Polkóvnik
     
Lieutenant colonel
Подполко́вник
Podpolkóvnik
     
Major
Майо́р
Mayór
     
Junior officers
or
company grade officers
Captain
Kапита́н
Kapitán
     
Senior lieutenant
Ста́рший лейтена́нт
Stárshiy leytenánt
     
Lieutenant
Лейтена́нт
Leytenánt
     
Junior lieutenant
Mла́дший лейтена́нт
Mládshiy leytenánt
     
Student officers Officer cadet
Курса́нт
Kursánt
     

Other ranks edit

Category Troop ranks[1] Dress uniform[2] Everyday uniform[3] Field uniform[4]
Warrant officers Senior warrant officer
Ста́рший пра́порщик
Stárshiy práporshchik
     
Warrant officer
Пра́порщик
Práporshchik
     
Sergeants Sergeant major
Старшина́
Starshiná
   
Senior sergeant
Ста́рший сержа́нт
Stárshiy serzhánt
   
Sergeant
Сержа́нт
Serzhánt
   
Junior sergeant
Мла́дший сержа́нт
Mládshiy serzhánt
   
Enlisted Corporal
Ефре́йтор
Yefréytor
   
Private
Рядово́й
Ryadovóy
   

Rank titles are sometimes modified due to a particular assignment, branch or status:

  • The ranks of servicemen assigned to a "guards" unit or formation are preceded by the word "guards";
  • The ranks of servicemen in the legal, medical and veterinary branches are followed by "of justice", "of the medical service", and "of the veterinary service", respectively;
  • The ranks of servicemen in the reserve or retired are followed by "of the reserve" or "in retirement", respectively.

Reforms edit

Insignia reform (2010) edit

On 11 March 2010, Law No.2010-293 of the President of Russia introduced a new set of rank insignia. Privates, airmen and seamen now wear plain shoulder epaulettes. Senior NCOs had their chevrons replaced by plain bars (small horizontal bars for corporals and sergeants increasing in number with seniority, large horizontal bars for staff sergeants, and vertical bars for master sergeants). These rank badges mirror the insignia of both the Imperial Russian Army and the Soviet Army in the 1970s. Warrant officers and officers received new shoulder rank epaulettes and all general officer insignia now reflect service affiliation in the duty dress uniform. The parade dress gold epaulettes have been retained. The insignia for a marshal of the Russian Federation retained the coat of arms of Russia and the marshal's star.

Rank and insignia reform (2013) edit

In 2013, the insignia of an army general now include the marshal's star, surmounted by a red star in a wreath.[citation needed] In Spring 2013, the warrant officer ranks, which had been removed as a result of the 2008 Russian military reform, were reinstated.[5]

Insignia reform (2020) edit

See also edit

Explanatory notes edit

  1. ^ The rank of marshal of the Russian Federation, the highest in the Russian Army, is not presently held by anyone in the modern armed forces of the Russian Federation. The only officer to hold the rank is the former Minister of Defense Igor Sergeyev, who was elevated from commander (army general) of the Strategic Rocket Forces. As it stands, marshal of the Russian Federation should be considered an honorary title equivalent to a field marshal, marshal or five-star general in other countries, created in the event of a major war or as the result of extreme military accomplishment (see marshal of the Soviet Union).[citation needed]

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b Law 293 2010.
  2. ^ a b Law 525 2020, p. 316.
  3. ^ a b Law 525 2020, p. 318.
  4. ^ a b Law 525 2020, p. 319.
  5. ^ Guskova 2013.

General and cited references edit

  • Guskova, Anthon (1 July 2013). "В российскую армию возвращаются прапорщики". 5-tv.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  • Приказ Министра обороны Российской Федерации от 09.10.2020 № 525 (Зарегистрирован 16.11.2020 № 60927) [Order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation dated 09.10.2020 No. 525 (Registered on 16.11.2020 No. 60927)] (in Russian). publication.pravo.gov.ru/. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  • NATO (2021). STANAG 2116 NATO (7th ed.). Brussels, Belgium: NATO Standardization Agency.
  • "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 11 марта 2010 года № 293 "О военной форме одежды, знаках различия военнослужащих и ведомственных знаках отличия"". rg.ru (in Russian). Российской газеты. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2021.

External links edit

  • Federal Law No. 58-FZ from March 12, 1998 "On military duty and military service" (in Russian)
  • Presidential Decree No. 531 from May 8, 2005 "On military uniform, rank insignia of the servicemen and state bodies' rank insignia" (in Russian)