Army ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation

The Russian Federation inherited the ranks of the Soviet Union, although the insignia and uniform were altered slightly.

Armed Forces of the
Russian Federation
Staff
Services (vid)
Independent troops (rod)
Special operations force (sof)
Other troops
  • Logistical Support
History of the Russian military

The Russian Armed Forces have two styles of ranks: army-style ranks and navy-style ranks. The army and air force use only army-style ranks.

Ranks and insignia

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

Officers
Category Troop ranks Parade uniform insignia Everyday uniform insignia Field uniform insignia NATO equivalent
Supreme officers
or
general officers		 Marshal of the Russian Federation[Note 1]

(Ма́ршал Росси́йской Федера́ции)
(Márshal Rossíyskoy Federátsii)

 OF-10
Army general/general of the Army

(Генера́л а́рмии)
(Generál ármii)

 OF-9
Colonel general/general

(Генера́л-полко́вник)
(Generál-polkóvnik)

 OF-9
Lieutenant general

(Генера́л-лейтена́нт)
(Generál-leytenánt)

 OF-8
Major general

(Генера́л-майо́р)

(Generál-mayór)

 OF-7
Senior officers
or
field grade officers		 Colonel

(Полко́вник)
(Polkóvnik)

 OF-5
Lieutenant colonel

(Подполко́вник)
(Podpolkóvnik)

 OF-4
Major

(Майо́р)
(Mayór)

 OF-3
Junior officers
or
company grade officers		 Captain

(Капита́н)
(Kapitán)

 OF-2
Senior lieutenant

(Ста́рший лейтена́нт)
(Stárshiy Leytenánt)

 OF-1
Lieutenant/first lieutenant

(Лейтена́нт)
(Leytenánt)
Junior lieutenant/second lieutenant

(Мла́дший лейтена́нт)
(Mládshiy Leytenánt)

 Acting officer
Student officers Officer cadet

(Курсант)
(Kursant)

 OF-(D)

Non-officer ranks
Category Troop ranks Parade uniform insignia Everyday uniform insignia Field uniform insignia NATO approximate[1]
Praporshchik Senior ensign/Chief warrant officer
(Ста́рший пра́порщик)
(Starshy praporshchik)		 OR-9
Ensign/Warrant officer
(Пра́порщик)
(Praporshchik)
Sergeants Petty officer/Sergeant first class
(Старшина́)
(Starshina)
OR-8
Senior sergeant/Staff sergeant
(Ста́рший сержа́нт)
(Stárshiy serzhánt)		 OR-7
Sergeant
(Сержа́нт)
(Serzhánt)		 OR-6
Junior sergeant/Corporal
(Мла́дший сержа́нт)
(Mládshiy Serzhánt)		 OR-5
Soldiers and yefréytors Gefreiter/Private First Class
(Ефре́йтор)
(Yefréytor)		 OR-4
Ryadovoy/Private Second Class
(Рядово́й)
(Ryadovóy)		 OR-1

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;
  • The rank descriptor "of aviation" was officially abolished but is still commonly used.

Rank reform (2008)

As a result of the 2008 to 2011 defense reform the Russian Army's 90,000 warrant officer positions have been removed but on 27 February 2013 the expanded board of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Russian Defence Minister S. Shoigu announced the return of the warrant officer to the Armed Forces of Russia.[2]

Insignia reform (2010)

On March 11, 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)

In 2013 the insignia of an army general now include the marshal's star, surmounted by a red star in a wreath. Starting Spring 2013 the warrant officer ranks of the RGF were reinstated, the first appointments to be given out later that summer.

See also

Notes
  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 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).

References
  1. NATO (2010). STANAG 2116 NATO (6th ed.). Brussels, Belgium: NATO Standardization Agency. p. D-1.
  2. http://www.5-tv.ru/news/72342/ in Russian

External
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.