Military ranks of the Soviet Union

Military ranks of the Soviet Union
Soviet Armed Forces
Coat of arms of the Soviet Union.svg
Components
General Staff
Strategic Rocket Forces
Red Army * Soviet Army
Air Defence Forces
Air Forces
Navy
Ranks of the Soviet Military
Military ranks of the Soviet Union
History of the Soviet Military
Military history of the Soviet Union
History of Russian military ranks

The military ranks of the Soviet Union were those introduced after the October Revolution of 1917. At that time the Imperial Russian Table of Ranks was abolished, as were the privileges of the pre-Soviet Russian nobility.

Immediately after the Revolution, personal military ranks were abandoned in favor of a system of positional ranks, which were acronyms of the full position names. For example, KomKor was an acronym of Corps Commander, KomDiv was an acronym of Division Commander, KomBrig stood for Brigade Commander, KomBat stood for Battalion Commander, and so forth. These acronyms have survived as informal position names to the present day.

Personal ranks were reintroduced in 1935, and general officer ranks were restored in May 1940. The ranks were based on those of the Russian Empire, although they underwent some modifications. Modified Imperial-style rank insignia were reintroduced in 1943.

The Soviet ranks ceased to be used after the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, although the military ranks and insignia of the modern Russian Federation and Ukraine have been largely adopted from the Soviet system.

Contents

History

Army and Air Force Ranks

The early Red Army abandoned the institution of a professional officer corps as a "heritage of tsarism" in the course of the Revolution. In particular, the Bolsheviks condemned the use of the word "officer" and used the word "commander" instead. The Red Army abandoned epaulettes and ranks, using purely functional titles such as "Division Commander", "Corps Commander", and similar titles. In 1924 it supplemented this system with "service categories", from K-1 (lowest) to K-14 (highest). The service categories essentially operated as ranks in disguise: they indicated the experience and qualifications of a commander. The insignia now denoted the category, not the position of a commander. However, one still had to use functional titles to address commanders, which could become as awkward as "comrade deputy head-of-staff of corps". If one did not know a commander's position, one used one of the possible positions - for example: "Regiment Commander" for K-9.[1]This rank system stayed until 1925, when a new range of ranks for the Red Army for officers, NCO's amd enlisted were created.

On September 22, 1935 the Red Army abandoned service categories and introduced personal ranks. These ranks, however, used a unique mix of functional titles and traditional ranks. For example, the ranks included "Lieutenant" and "Comdiv" (Комдив, Division Commander). Further complications ensued from the functional and categorical ranks for political officers (e.g., "Brigade Commissar", "Army Commissar 2nd Rank"), for technical corps (e.g., "Engineer 3rd Rank", "Division Engineer"), for administrative, medical and other non-combatant branches.

The Marshal of the Soviet Union (Маршал Советского Союза) rank was introduced on March 17, 1934 as part of the proposal by Kliment Voroshilov to rationalise ranks. On May 7, 1940 further modifications to the system took place. The ranks of "General" or "Admiral" replaced the senior functional ranks of Combrig, Comdiv, Comcor, Comandarm; the other senior functional ranks ("Division Commissar", "Division Engineer", etc.) remained unaffected. The Arm or Service distinctions remained (e.g. General of Cavalry, Marshal of Armoured Troops). On November 2, 1940 the system underwent further modification with the abolition of functional ranks for NCOs and the reintroduction of the Podpolkovnik (sub-colonel) rank.[2] For the most part the new system restored that used by the Imperial Russian Army at the conclusion of its participation in WWI.

In early 1942 all the functional ranks in technical and administrative corps became regularized ranks (e.g., "Engineer Major", "Engineer Colonel", "Captain Intendant Service", etc.). On October 9, 1942 the authorities abolished the system of military commissars, together with the commissar ranks. The functional ranks remained only in medical, veterinary and legislative corps and Private became the basic rank for the enlisted and NCOs.

In early 1943 a unification of the system saw the abolition of all the remaining functional ranks. The word "officer" became officially endorsed, together with the epaulettes that superseded the previous rank insignia, and Marshal and Chief Marshal ranks created for the various arms and branch commands of the Red Army and the Red Army Air Forces save for the infantry.

The ranks and insignia of 1943 did not change much until the last days of the USSR; the contemporary Russian Ground Forces uses largely the same system. The old functional ranks of Combat (Battalion or Battery Commander), Combrig (Brigade Commander) and Comdiv (Division Commander) continue in informal use.[3]

After the war, the new rank of Generalissimus of the Soviet Union was created for Joseph Stalin in his role as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The rank insignia featured the USSR arms above a large Marshal's Star surrounded by a wreath. The rank became inactive upon his demise in 1953, and inspired similar ranks in North Korea (Dae Wonsu) and the People's Republic of China (Da Yuan Shuai).

In 1970 all Starshinas became full time senior NCOs and enlisted personnel and the new NCO rank of Praporshchik became a Warrant Officer rank, with a new rank of Senior Praporshchik created for senior rank holders later in 1981. And in 1974, Generals of the Army had one star on their shoulder epaulettes rather than four. The final rank structure from these reforms stayed well until the Union's dissoution and are the basis for the current ranks of the Russian Ground Forces.

These ranks also because the basic ranks for the Soviet Air Forces in 1918 and the Soviet Air Defense Forces (from 1932-1949 part of the Red Army, 1949 independent branch, and from 1954 a full service arm of the Soviet Armed Forces), and from 1991 onward became the basis for the present ranks of the Russian Air Force (including the Air Defense Forces from 1998 onward) and from 2001, the Russian Space Forces. The only exceptions were the use of the ranks of Marshal of Aviation and Chief Marshal of Aviation, which replaced the rank of General of the Army until the latter became the highest officer rank in 1993.

Naval ranks and rates

In 1918, the Soviet Navy was raised from the pro-Bolshevik sailors and officers of the Imperial Russian Navy as the Workers' and Peasants' Red Fleet by virtue of a decree by the Soviet Council of People's Commissars. The ranks and rates were, just like in their counterparts in the Army, personal postions for officers, NCO's and enlisted rates. The former officers of the IRN who joined the ranks of this new navy retained their ranks with the abbreviation "b." meaning "former" while the new officers where addressed by their positionary ranks. They stayed that way until 1925, when new ranks and rates were created.

Most of the officer ranks were revived in 1935, save for the high ranking officers, and the new NCO rank of Squad Commander. The NCO rank of Starshina was retained, however.

In 1939 all flag officer ranks were reinstated and Midshipman became the highest NCO rate in the Navy, and in the course of the Great Patriotic War, all Redfleetmen became Seamen in another rank change.

Rank comparisons

The Red Army abolished all personal officer and general ranks, retaining only personal positions. Thus, a komvzvoda (Platoon Commander) was a position for an officer who would typically hold a Lieutenant of Senior Lieutenant rank, kombat (Battalion Commander) was an equivalent of Captain or Major, and kompolka was an equivalent of Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel.

Even though traditional personal ranks for Red Army officers were re-established in 1935, General ranks were not introduced until 1940, probably because they were associated with the White Army movement. So, in 1935-1940 the personal rank system in the Red Army consisted of the following General-grade ranks:

  • kombrig (Brigade Commander), a Brigadier equivalent;
  • komdiv (Division Commander), a Major General equivalent;
  • komcor (Corps Commander), a Lieutenant General equivalent;
  • komandarm (Army Commander) 2nd rank, a Lieutenant General or full General equivalent;
  • komandarm (Army Commander) 1st rank, a Front Commander or Supreme Commander position, and an equivalent to Colonel General, General of the Army, or Field Marshal in other nations.

When the Marshal of the Soviet Union was introduced later in 1935, it became the highest rank in the Red Army, extending an already complex rank system.

However, when personal General ranks were introduced in 1940, the updated rank system did not feature a Brigadier-grade rank, mirroring a situation in the Russian Imperial Russian army where the Brigadier rank ceased to exist in early 19th century. Most of the officers holding the kombrig rank were demoted to Colonels, and only a few were promoted to Major General.

Another peculiarity of this new system was the absence of a full General rank, which until 19th century was called General-en-Chef in the Russian Imperial army, and then was renamed General of the Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery. Curiously, the initial draft of the new rank system submitted by People's Commissar of Defence Marshal Voroshilov was more in line with Russian military tradition. In a memorandum submitted on 17 March 1940 to the Politburo and Sovnarkom, Voroshilov made the following proposal[4]:

After discussing this question with my deputies, we conclude that our army needs to have the same number of General ranks as it was in the Tsarist army and as it exists in other European armies such as German, French and British. At present we have five General-grade ranks (kombrig, komdiv, komcor, komandarm 2nd rank and komandarm 1st rank). We find it necessary to join the military ranks of komdiv and komcor into a single Lieutenant General rank, and to similarly join the military ranks of komandarm 2nd rank and komandarm 1st rank into a single rank of General of the Infantry (artillery, cavalry, aviation, armoured troops etc.). To follow [them] is the highest military rank in the Red Army, the Marshal of the Soviet Union, which corresponds to similar ranks in foreign capitalist armies. We believe there is no need for additional military ranks above Marshal.

However in the final document the two komandarm ranks were replaced with Colonel General and General of the Army, with the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union on top of them. In the end, the number of General-grade ranks did not reduce at all even with the abolition of Brigadier-grade kobmbrig rank, contrary to the initial proposal by Voroshilov.

After the introduction of this new system, most existing kombrigs were ranked as Colonel, although some were ranked as General; existing komdivs were mostly ranked as Major General, komcors and Army Commanders 2nd rank were mostly ranked Lieutenant General, and Army Commanders 1st rank were ranked as Colonel General or General of the Army (a notable exception is Georgy Zhukov who was promoted to General of the Army directly from komcor rank). Later in 1943, the ranks of Marshal and Chief Marshal of a service branch were introduced in aviation, artillery, communications troops, and armoured troops; both equivalent to General of the Army.

The final personal rank structure (for the Army and the Air Force) was thus as follows:

  • Colonel - Brigade or Division level;
  • Major General - Сorps, Division or (rarely) Brigade level;
  • Lieutenant General - Corps or Army level;
  • Colonel General - Army or Front level;
  • General of the Army - Army or Front level;
  • Marshal or Chief Marshal - service branch, Army level;
  • Marshal of the Soviet Union - Front or Supreme Command level, reserved for most honoured field commanders.

Eventually, the Soviet system of general ranks included commonplace Major General, Lieutenant General, however the position in between Lieutenant General and General of the Army was occupied by the Colonel General, which in the Soviet system is the equivalent of a full General rank in other nations.

This unusual rank structure makes rank comparisons difficult; Marshal of the Soviet Union is arguably not the equivalent to NATO five-star general ranks such as British Field Marshal or American General of the Army, but is instead an honorary rank analogous to the Marshal of France, although without associated state functions.

In the Soviet Navy before 1935 the ranks were personal positions. Since that year the general officer rank structure became as follows:

  • Flag Officer 2nd Rank
  • Flag Officer 1st Rank
  • Fleet Flag Officer 2nd Rank
  • Fleet Flag Officer 1st Rank

From 1940, the rank structure for high officers of the Navy became:

  • Captain 1st Rank
  • Rear Admiral
  • Vice Admiral
  • Admiral

In 1943, the rank structure slightly changed into the final rank formation which remained until the dissolution of the Navy in 1991 with more changes in 1955 and 1962:

The Russian Navy still uses this, except that Marshal of the Russian Federation is the highest rank of precedence, and the rank below that, Admiral of the Fleet, is the highest deck rank for officers.

Rank Table

This table shows the rank structure and epaulettes used in 1943–1993.

Category Soviet All-forces ground troop ranks
(Army Infantry and educational institutions, MVD Militsiya and Internal Troops, Civil Defense Forces of the USSR)
Soviet Air Forces, Soviet Air Defense Forces and other Soviet military branches ranks
(Space Troops of the PVO, Artillery, Tank and Armored Forces, Airborne Landing Troops, Engineer Forces and Signal and Communications Forces, Medical Service, Military Bands Service, Military Judicial Service, other Special and Technical Services)
Soviet Navy Ranks and Rates (Soviet Deck Ranks and Rates)
Supreme Commander
CCCP army Rank generalissimus CCCP infobox.svg
Generalissimus of the Soviet Union
(Генерали́ссимус Сове́тского Сою́за)
Supreme Officers
or
General Officers
CCCP army Rank marshal CCCP infobox.svg
Marshal of the Soviet Union
(Ма́ршал Совéтского Сою́за)
-
CCCP navy Rank admiral flota CCCP infobox.svg
Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union
(Адмира́л Фло́та Совéтского Сою́за)
CCCP army Rank general armii2 infobox.svg

General of the Army
(Генера́л а́рмии) since 1974
CCCP army Rank general armii1 infobox.svg
General of the Army
(Генера́л а́рмии) before 1974
CCCP air-force Rank glavnyj marshal aviacii CCCP infobox.svg
Chief Marshal of Aviation of the Soviet Union
(Гла́вный Ма́ршал Авиа́ции Совéтского Сою́за)
CCCP army Rank glavnyj marshal artylerii infobox.svg
Chief Marshal of Artillery of the Soviet Union
(Гла́вный Ма́ршал Aртилерии Совéтского Сою́за)
CCCP army Rank glavnyj marshal tanki infobox.svg
Chief Marshal of Armoured Troops of the Soviet Union
(Гла́вный Ма́ршал Бронетанковых Войск Совéтского Сою́за)
CCCP army Rank glavnyj marshal inzynier infobox.svg
Chief Marshal of Engineer Troops of the Soviet Union
(Гла́вный Ма́ршал Инженерных Войск Совéтского Сою́за)
CCCP army Rank glavnyj marshal sviazy infobox.svg
Chief Marshal of Signals Troops of the Soviet Union
(Гла́вный Ма́ршал Войск Связи Совéтского Сою́за)
CCCP navy Rank admiral flota2 infobox.svg
Admiral of the Fleet
(адмира́л фло́та) since 1974
CCCP navy Rank admiral flota1 infobox.svg
Admiral of the Fleet
(адмира́л фло́та) before 1974
CCCP air-force Rank marshal aviacii infobox.svg
Marshal of Aviation
(Ма́ршал Авиа́ции)
CCCP army Rank marshal artylerii infobox.svg
Marshal of Artillery
(Ма́ршал Aртилерии)
CCCP army Rank marshal tanki infobox.svg
Marshal of Armoured Troop
(Ма́ршал Бронетанковых Войск)
CCCP army Rank marshal inzynier infobox.svg
Marshal of Engineer Troops
(Ма́ршал Инженерных Войск)
CCCP army Rank marshal sviazy infobox.svg
Marshal of Signals Troops
(Ма́ршал Войск Связи)
Rank insignia of генерал-полковник of the Soviet Army.svg
Colonel General or
General-Polkovnik
(генера́л-полко́вник)
Rank insignia of генерал-полковник of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Colonel General or
General-Polkovnik of aviation
(генера́л-полко́вник авиа́ции)
Colonel General or
General-Polkovnik of branches
(генера́л-полко́вник ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of адмирал of the Soviet Navy.svg
Admiral
(адмира́л)
Rank insignia of генерал-лейтенант of the Soviet Army.svg
Lieutenant General
(генера́л-лейтена́нт)
Rank insignia of генерал-лейтенант of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Lieutenant General of aviation
(генера́л-лейтена́нт авиа́ции)
Lieutenant General of branches
(генера́л-лейтена́нт ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of вице-адмирал of the Soviet Navy.svg
Vice Admiral
(ви́це-адмира́л)
Rank insignia of генерал-майор of the Soviet Army.svg
Major General
(генера́л-майо́р)
Rank insignia of генерал-майор of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Major General of aviation
(генера́л-майо́р авиа́ции)
Major General of branches
(генера́л-майо́р ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of контр-адмирал of the Soviet Navy.svg
Counter Admiral
(ко́нтр-адмира́л)
Senior Officers
or
Field Grade Officers
Rank insignia of полковник of the Soviet Army.svg
Colonel or Polkovnik
(полко́вник)
Rank insignia of полковник of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Colonel or Polkovnik of aviation
(полко́вник авиа́ции)
Colonel or Polkovnik of branches
(полко́вник ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of капитан 1-го ранга of the Soviet Navy.svg
Captain, 1st rank
(капита́н 1-го ра́нга)
Rank insignia of подполковник of the Soviet Army.svg
Lieutenant Colonel or
Podpolkovnik
(подполко́вник)
Rank insignia of подполковник of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Lieutenant Colonel or
Podpolkovnik of aviation
(подполко́вник авиа́ции)
Lieutenant Colonel or
Podpolkovnik of branches
(подполко́вник ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of капитан 2-го ранга of the Soviet Navy.svg
Captain, 2nd rank
(капита́н 2-го р́анга)
Rank insignia of майор of the Soviet Army.svg
Major
(майо́р)
Rank insignia of майор of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Major of aviation
(майо́р авиа́ции)
Major of branches
(майо́р ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of капитан 3-го ранга of the Soviet Navy.svg
Captain, 3rd rank
(капита́н 3-го р́анга)
Junior Officers
or
Company Grade Officers
Rank insignia of капитан of the Soviet Army.svg
Captain
(капита́н)
Rank insignia of капитан of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Captain of aviation
(капита́н авиа́ции)
Captain of branches
(капита́н ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of капитан-лейтенант of the Soviet Navy.svg
Captain Lieutenant
(капита́н-лейтена́нт)
Rank insignia of старший лейтенант of the Soviet Army.svg
Senior Lieutenant
(ста́рший лейтена́нт)
Rank insignia of старший лейтенант of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Senior Lieutenant of aviation
(ста́рший лейтена́нт авиа́ции)
Senior Lieutenant of branches
(ста́рший лейтена́нт ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of старший лейтенант of the Soviet Navy.svg
Senior Lieutenant
(старший лейтенант)
Rank insignia of лейтенант of the Soviet Army.svg
Lieutenant
(лейтена́нт)
Rank insignia of лейтенант of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Lieutenant of aviation
(лейтена́нт авиа́ции)
Lieutenant of branches
(лейтена́нт ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of лейтенант of the Soviet Navy.svg
Lieutenant
(лейтена́нт)
Rank insignia of младший лейтенант of the Soviet Army.svg
Junior Lieutenant
(мла́дший лейтена́нт)
Rank insignia of младший лейтенант of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Junior Lieutenant of aviation
(мла́дший лейтена́нт авиа́ции)
Junior Lieutenant of branches
(мла́дший лейтена́нт ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of младший лейтенант of the Soviet Navy.svg
Junior Lieutenant
мла́дший лейтена́нт)
Under-Officers
or
Master non-commissioned officers
Rank insignia of старший прапорщик of the Soviet Army.svg
Senior Warrant Officer or Senior Praporshchik
(ста́рший пра́порщик)
Rank insignia of старший прапорщик of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Senior Warrant Officer or
Senior Praporshchik of aviation
(ста́рший пра́порщик авиа́ции)
Senior Warrant Officer or
Senior Praporshchik of branches
(ста́рший пра́порщик ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of старший мичман of the Soviet Navy.svg
Senior Midshipman
(ста́рший ми́чман)
Rank insignia of прапорщик of the Soviet Army.svg
Warrant Officer or Praporshchik
(пра́порщик)
Rank insignia of прапорщик of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Warrant Officer or Praporshchik of aviation
(пра́порщик авиа́ции)
Warrant Officer or Praporshchik of branches
(пра́порщик ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of мичман of the Soviet Navy.svg
Midshipman
(ми́чман)
Sergeants
and
Petty Officers
Rank insignia of старшина of the Soviet Army.svg
Sergeant Major or Starshina
(старшина́) before 1963
Rank insignia of старшина of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Sergeant Major or Starshina of aviation
(старшина́ авиа́ции)
Sergeant Major or Starshina of branches
(старшина́ ро́да во́йск)
all before 1963
Rank insignia of главный корабельный старшина of the Soviet Navy.svg
Chief Ship Starshina
(гла́вный корабе́льный старшина́)
before 1963
Rank insignia of старший сержант of the Soviet Army.svg
Senior Sergeant
(ста́рший сержа́нт)
Rank insignia of старший сержант of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Senior Sergeant of aviation
(ста́рший сержа́нт авиа́ции)
Senior Sergeant of branches
(ста́рший сержа́нт ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of главный старшина of the Soviet Navy.svg
Chief Starshina
(гла́вный старшина́)
Rank insignia of сержант of the Soviet Army.svg
Sergeant
(сержа́нт)
Rank insignia of сержант of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Sergeant of aviation
(сержа́нт авиа́ции)
Sergeant of branches
(сержа́нт ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of старшина 1-й статьи of the Soviet Navy.svg
Starshina, 1st class
(старшина́ 1-й статьи́)
Rank insignia of младший сержант of the Soviet Army.svg
Junior Sergeant
(мла́дший сержа́нт)
Rank insignia of младший сержант of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Junior Sergeant of aviation
(мла́дший сержа́нт авиа́ции)
Junior Sergeant of branches
(мла́дший сержа́нт ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of старшина 2-й статьи of the Soviet Navy.svg
Starshina, 2nd class
(старшина́ 2-й статьи́)
Soldiers,
seamen,
airmen
Rank insignia of ефрейтор of the Soviet Army.svg
Efreitor
(ефре́йтор)
Rank insignia of ефрейтор of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Efreitor of aviation
(ефре́йтор авиа́ции)
Efreitor of branches
(ефре́йтор ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of старший матрос of the Soviet Navy.svg
Senior Matrose
or Seaman, Sailor
(ста́рший матро́с) или (ста́рший моря́к)
Rank insignia of рядовой of the Soviet Army.svg
Private or Soldier
(рядово́й) или (солдáт)
Rank insignia of рядовой of the Soviet Air Force.svg
Private of aviation
(рядово́й авиа́ции)
Private of branches
(рядово́й ро́да во́йск)
Rank insignia of матрос of the Soviet Navy.svg
Matrose or Seaman, Sailor
(матро́с) или (моря́к)

Colours of the rank insignia

From 1943 to 1955 all the rank insignia were khaki with edge colour indicating the corps:

  •    Crimson: infantry, mechanized and motorized infantry
  •    Red: artillery, armoured troops
  •    Blue: Air Force, airborne troops, air technical services
  •    Dark blue: cavalry
  •    Black: technical corps (radio communications, engineers, chemicals, technical military schools, road construction, pipeline units, building and airbase construction, military topography service, administrative service, judge advocates, military bands)
  •    Dark green: medical and veterinary services
  •    Black: Navy

In December 1955 the colours were changed to:

  •    Red: artillery, armoured troops, infantry, cavalry, military educational insititutions
  •    Blue: Air Force, airborne troops, air technical services
  •    Black: technical corps and Navy

In March 1956 general officers' stars became gold colored.

Letter codes

The letters over the shoulder's badges, since 1972, stand for:[5]

  • ВВ (Внутренние войска, Vnutrennie voiska) - Interior Ministry's troops
  • К (Курсант, Kursant) - Higher military college cadet
  • ГБ (КГБ, KGB) - KGB
  • ПВ (Пограничные войска, Pogranichnye voiska) - Border Troops
  • СА (Советская Армия, Sovietskaya Armiya) - Soviet Army
  • СШ (специальная школа, spetsialnaya shkola) - special school
  • Ф (Флот, Flot) - Navy
    • СФ (Северный флот, Severnyi flot) - Northern Fleet
    • ЧФ (Черноморский флот, Chernomorskiy flot) - Black Sea Fleet
    • БФ (Балтийский флот, Baltiyskiy flot) - Baltic fleet
    • ТФ (Тихоокеанский флот, Tikhookeanskiy flot) - Pacific Fleet
  • СВУ (Суворовец, Suvorovets) - Suvorov School cadet
  • ВМУ (Военно-музыкальное Училище Voyenno-muzikalnoye Uchilishche) - Military Music School
  • H (Нахимовец, Nakhimovets) - Nakhimov School cadet

Generalissimus of the Soviet Union

This rank was created for Joseph Stalin on June 27, 1945, and he was the only person ever to hold it. It is sometimes regarded as an equivalent to the rank of General of the Armies of the United States, the North Korean Dae Wonsu or the now defunct Chinese rank of Da Yuan Shuai.

Marshal of an arm

The ranks of Marshal of an arm and Chief Marshal of an arm were used in five Soviet military branches (the Air Force, Artillery, Tank Forces, Engineer Forces, and Signal Forces). These ranks were established in 1943. Marshal of an arm was equivalent to General of the Army.

See also Marshal of the Soviet Union and Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union

See also

External links

  1. ^ John Erickson, The Soviet High Command 1918–41, p.72–73
  2. ^ John Erickson, The Soviet High Command 1918–41
  3. ^ David Glantz, Stumbling Colossus, University Press of Kansas, 1998
  4. ^ (Russian) Introduction of General ranks in RKKA in 1940
  5. ^ (Russian) Изменения в знаках различия званий военнослужащих Советской Армии 1955-92(94) гг.

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