Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1955–1991)

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The ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces between 1955 and 1991 were distinguished by the reorganisation of the Soviet armed forces after the death of Stalin, resulting in changes to ranks, insignia, and uniforms.

## Army and air forces

[edit]

### Shoulder straps to field utilization

[edit]

In December 1956 the coloured border piping on officers' shoulder straps was changed. A cinnamon-brown color was used instead of the burgundy red previously worn by commanders and commanding officers. All other officers and other ranks wore corps colours as follows:

* Motorised & mechanised rifles – raspberry
* Artillery & armored troops – black, red
* Air Force & aviation – blue
* Technical troops of any kind and the navy – black

The regimental numberings of the 1943 system were removed altogether.

### Non-commissioned officers and enlisted men

[edit]

Rank group  | Warrant officers  | Non-commissioned officers  | Enlisted men

|
|
|

Shoulder boards
(motorized infantry troops)  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Shoulder boards
(artillery, rocket, tank, engineering, construction,
automobile, railway troops, signal-corps,
troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection)  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Shoulder boards
(air force & aviation)  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| (introduced 1981) | (introduced 1971) | (from 1964) | (until 1963)
| Ста́рший пра́порщик
Stárshiy práporshchik | Пра́порщик
Práporshchyk | Старшина́
Starshyná | Ста́рший сержа́нт
Stárshiy serzhánt | Сержа́нт
Serzhánt | Мла́дший сержа́нт
Mládshiy serzhánt | Ефре́йтор
Efréĭtor | Рядово́й
Ryadovóy

* * *

US equivalent[1] | Chief warrant officer | Warrant officer | Command sergeant major | Sergeant major | Master sergeant | Sergeant | Private first class | Private

Colors by type of troops:

* motorized infantry troops – red (scarlet);
* artillery, rocket, tank, engineering, construction, automobile, railway troops, signal-corps, troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection – black;
* air force and airborne troops – sky blue;
* state security troops (KGB troops) – dark blue, instead of the letters "СА" (Советская Армия) the letters "ГБ" (Государственная Безопасность – State Security);
* internal troops (Interior Ministry troops) – crimson (dark red), instead of the letters "СА" (Советская Армия) the letters "ВВ" (Внутренние Войска);
* border troops – green, instead of the letters "СА" (Советская Армия) the letters "ПВ" (Пограничные Войска).

### Officers

[edit]

#### Marshals of the branch

[edit]

The rank of Army general was only awarded to officers of the army from the infantry branch directly, all other branches and services were promoted to the ranks of marshal and chief marshal of the branch.

Rank  | Chief marshal of the branch

|

Insignia  |  |  |  |  |
Rank designation  | Главный маршал артиллерии
Glavnyy marshal artillerii | Главный маршал авиации
Glavnyy marshal aviatsii | Главный маршал бронетанковых войск
Glavnyy marshal bronetankovykh voysk | Главный маршал войск связи
Glavnyy marshal voysk svyazi | Главный маршал инженерных войск
Glavnyy marshal inzhenernykh voysk
Translation  | Chief marshal of artillery  | Chief marshal of aviation  | Chief marshal of the armoured troops  | Chief marshal of the signal troops  | Chief marshal of the engineer troops
Rank  | Marshal of the branch
Insignia  |  |  |  |  |
Rank designation  | Маршал артиллерии
Marshal artillerii | Маршал авиации
Marshal aviatsii | Маршал бронетанковых войск
Marshal bronetankovykh voysk | Маршал войск связи
Marshal voysk svyazi | Маршал инженерных войск
Marshal inzhenernykh voysk
Translation  | Marshal of artillery  | Marshal of aviation  | Marshal of the armoured troops  | Marshal of the signal troops  | Marshal of the engineer troops

#### Army officers and generals (all services)

[edit]

Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

Shoulder boards
(Ground forces)  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Shoulder boards
(Technical forces)  | See above |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Shoulder boards
(Air force)  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | (from 1974) | (until 1974)
| Маршал советского союза
Márshal sovetskogo soyuza | Генера́л а́рмии
Generál ármii | Генера́л-полко́вник
Generál-polkóvnik | Генера́л-лейтена́нт
Generál-leytenánt | Генера́л-майо́р
Generál-mayór | Полко́вник
Polkóvnik | Подполко́вник
Podpolkóvnik | Майо́р
Majór | Kапита́н
Kapitán | Старший лейтена́нт
Stárshiy leytenánt | Лейтенант
Leytenant | Mла́дший лейтена́нт
Mládshiy leytenánt

* * *

US equivalent[1] | General of the Army | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant

#### Student officers

[edit]

Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Parade uniform
Army  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Air force  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | Курсант старшина́
Kursánt starshyná | Курсант ста́рший сержа́нт
Kursánt stárshiy serzhánt | Курсант сержа́нт
Kursánt serzhánt | Курсант мла́дший сержа́нт
Kursánt mládshiy serzhánt | Курсант ефре́йтор
Kursánt efréĭtor | Курсант
Kursánt

* * *

Translation  |  | Cadet sergeant major | Cadet senior sergeant | Cadet sergeant | Cadet junior sergeant | Cadet first class  | Cadet

## Navy

[edit]

### Ratings of the Navy, coastal services and other shore commands

[edit]

Rank group  | Warrant officers  | Boatswain/petty officers  | Enlisted men

|
|
|

Shoulder boards  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| (introduced 1981) | (from 1971) | (from 1964) | (until 1963)
| Старший мичман
Starshy michman | Мичман
Michman | Главный корабельный старшина
Glavny korabelny starshina | Главный старшина
Glavny starshina | Старшина 1 статьи
Starshina 1 statie | Старшина 2 статьи
Starshina 2 statie | Старший матрос
Starshina matros | Матрос
Matros
|  |  | (Michman until 1971)

* * *

Coastal services &
shore commands | Ста́рший пра́порщик
Stárshiy práporshchik | Пра́порщик
Práporshchyk | Старшина́
Starshyná | Ста́рший сержа́нт
Stárshiy serzhánt | Сержа́нт
Serzhánt | Мла́дший сержа́нт
Mládshiy serzhánt | Старший матрос
Starshina matros | Матрос
Matros

* * *

US equivalent[2] | Chief warrant officer | Warrant officer | Fleet/force master chief petty officer  | Senior chief petty officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer second class | Seaman | Seaman recruit

#### Letter codes from 1972 onward

[edit]

* The letter imprint "СА" on army shoulder boards stood for Советская Аpмия (Sovetskaya Armiya) and was the symbol of adherence to the Soviet Army.
* The letter imprint on Soviet navy shoulder boards symbolised the adherence to the appropriate fleet or naval major command.[3]
* Ф – Fleet (Russian: Флот, romanized: Flot), general personnel of the Navy
* БФ – Baltic Fleet (Russian: Балтийский Флот, romanized: Baltiski flot)
* ЧМ – Black Sea Fleet (Russian: Черноморский Флот, romanized: Chernomorski flot)
* СФ – Northern Fleet (Russian: Северный Флот, romanized: Severny flot)
* ТФ – Pacific Fleet (Russian: Тихоокеанский Флот, romanized: Tikhookeanski flot)
* Other letter symbols
* ВВ – (Russian: Внутренние Войска, romanized: Vnutrennie voiska) – Internal Troops
* ВМУ – (Russian: Военно-музыкальное Училище, romanized: Voyenno-musykalnoye Utchilishche) – students of military musician schools or cadets of military bands
* ВС – (Russian: Вооружённые Силы, romanized: Voorushonnye Sily) – armed forces (Soviet Army, later USSR armed forces, also Armed forces of the USSR)
* ГБ – (Russian: Госуда́рственной Безопа́сности, romanized: Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti) – Committee for State Security (KGB)
* К – (Russian: Курсант, romanized: Kursant) – higher military college student
* Н – (Russian: Нахимовец, romanized: Nakhimovez) – cadet in the Nakhimov Naval School
* ПВ – (Russian: Пограничные войска, romanized: Pogranitshnye voiska) – border troops
* СШ – (Russian: Cпециальная школа, romanized: Spezialnaya shkola) – special school
* СВУ – (Russian: Суворовец, romanized: Suvorovez) – cadet at a Suvorov Military School

### Naval officers and flag officers (all services)

[edit]

Rank group  | Flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

Shoulder board  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | (from 1974) | (until 1974)
Sleeve insignia  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Адмирал флота советского союза
Admiral flota sovietskogo soyuza | Адмирал флота
Admiral flota | Адмирал
Admiral | Вице-адмирал
Vitse-admiral | Контр-адмирал
Contre-admiral | Капитан 1-го ранга
Kapitan 1-go ranga | Капитан 2-го ранга
Kapitan 2-go ranga | Капитан 3-го ранга
Kapitan 3-go ranga | Капитан-лейтенант
Kapitan-leytenant | Старший лейтенант
Starshey leytenant | Лейтенант
Leytenant | Младший лейтенант
Mladshiy leytenant
|  | (from 1962)

* * *

Coastal services &
shore commands |  | Генера́л-полко́вник
Generál-polkóvnik | Генера́л-лейтена́нт
Generál-leytenánt | Генера́л-майо́р
Generál-mayór | Полко́вник
Polkóvnik | Подполко́вник
Podpolkóvnik | Майо́р
Majór | Kапита́н
Kapitán | Старший лейтена́нт
Stárshiy leytenánt | Лейтенант
Leytenant | Mла́дший лейтена́нт
Mládshiy leytenánt

* * *

US equivalent[2] | Fleet admiral | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Rear admiral
(lower half) | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant
(junior grade) | Ensign | Midshipman

## See also

[edit]

* History of Russian military ranks
* Ranks and insignia of the Imperial Russian Armed Forces
* Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1918–1935)
* Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1935–1940)
* Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1940–1943)
* Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1943–1955)
* Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian Federation´s armed forces 1994–2010

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Soper 1991, p. 740.
2. ^ a b Soper 1991, p. 744.
3. ^ Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 3th[clarification needed] edition 1982, order number: 576 973 7, licence number: 433 130/182/82, volume IV, page 128-129 "Rank insignia of the Soviet Navy"

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Barker, A. J. (1976). Soviet Army Uniforms & Insignia 1945-1975. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 0-85368-390-5.
* Soper, Karl Wheeler (1991). "Armed Forces and Defence Organization". In Zickel, Raymond E. (ed.). Soviet Union: a country study. Area Handbook (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 695–753\. LCCN 90025756. Retrieved 28 October 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Military ranks and insignia by country

* List of comparative military ranks

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

States with
limited recognition|

* Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
* Somaliland

Former|

* People's Republic of Angola
* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* Kingdom of Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Katanga
* People's Republic of Mozambique
* Rhodesia
* South West Africa
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Apartheid States in Southern Africa

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Enlisted:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Other:
* Marine Corps
* Space Force
* Warrant officer
* Opposing forces
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Former|

* Canada (pre-Unification)
* Confederate States of America
* Union
* Army
* Navy
* Costa Rica
* Republic of Cuba
* Empire of Brazil
* Panama
* Republic of Texas
* Army
* Navy
* United States Army enlisted
* World War I
* World War II

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* PR of China
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Rocket Force
* Armed Police
* India
* Army
* Air Force
* Navy
* Coast Guard
* Border Roads Organisation
* Paramilitary forces
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Korea
* North
* South
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Marines
* Civil Armed Forces
* Maritime Security Agency
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Artsakh
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan (Republic of China)

Former|

* China
* Empire
* Republic (1912–1949)
* Dutch East Indies
* East Turkestan (Second Republic)
* People's Republic of Kampuchea
* Imperial Iran
* Imperial Japan
* Army
* Navy
* Korea
* Empire
* Liberation Army
* Kingdom of Laos
* Manchukuo
* Mengjiang
* Mongolian People's Republic
* Vietnam
* State
* South
* South Yemen
* Tibet
* Tuva

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Europe|

* Albania
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Home Guard
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Army
* Navy
* Gendarmerie
* Air and Space Force
* Foresters
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Land Forces
* Coast Guard
* Ireland
* Italy
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Carabinieri
* Finance Guard
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* North Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Cossacks
* Between 1994 and 2010
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Other:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Vatican

States with
limited recognition|

* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* Transnistria

Former|

* Albania
* Kingdom
* People's Socialist Republic
* Austria–Hungary
* Army
* Navy
* Bulgaria
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* German Empire
* Weimar Republic
* Nazi Germany
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* East Germany
* Kingdom of Greece
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* France
* Napoleonic Grand Army
* Hungary
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Italy
* Kingdom
* Social Republic
* Ottoman Empire
* Polish People's Republic
* Republika Srpska
* Romania
* Kingdom
* Socialist Republic
* Russian Empire
* White Movement
* Slovakia (First Republic)
* Soviet Union
* 1918–35
* 1935–40
* 1940–43
* 1943–55
* 1955–91
* Spain
* 2nd Republic
* State
* Yugoslavia
* Kingdom
* Socialist Federal Republic
* Federal Republic

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Language|

| Anglophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

|

Arabophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Francophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Gendarmerie
* Officers
* Enlisted

Hispanophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Lusophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Military police
* Officers
* Enlisted

Post-Soviet states|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Commonwealth of Nations|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

European Union|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

NATO|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air Force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Comparative ranks of

* Star ranking
* WWI
* Officers
* WWII
* Officers
* Women's services
* Marine forces
* Space forces
* Gendarmeries
* UK and US

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