Shoulder straps of senior officers (except Navy): 1 – Marshal of the Russian Federation (casual uniform); 2 – Army General (casual uniform, Air Force); 3 – Colonel General (ceremonial uniform); 4 – Lieutenant General (casual uniform); 5 – Major General (field uniform)
Shoulder straps of senior officers (except Navy): 1 – Colonel (casual uniform); 2 – Lieutenant Colonel (ceremonial uniform); 3 – major (ceremonial uniform, Air Force, Airborne Forces)
Shoulder straps for junior officers (except Navy): 1 – captain (casual uniform); 2 – senior lieutenant (ceremonial uniform, Air Force); 3 – Lieutenant (ceremonial uniform)
Shoulder straps for warrant officers and midshipmen: 1 – senior warrant officer (casual uniform); 2 – ensign (ceremonial uniform, Airborne Forces); 3 – midshipman (casual uniform, Navy)
1 – foreman; 2 - staff Sergeant; 3 – Sergeant (Airborne)
Shoulder straps for sergeants and soldiers (except Navy): 1 - Lance Sergeant; 2 – corporal; 3 – private
Sleeve insignia for belonging to the Armed Forces: 1 – Armed Forces (except the Navy); 2 – Armed Forces (Navy); 3 – military representatives in foreign countries; 4 – a special contingent within the Armed Forces to participate in peacekeeping activities
Sleeve insignia according to branch of the Armed Forces: 1 – the central office of the Ministry of Defense; 2 - Ground troops; 3 - Air Force; 4 - Navy
Sleeve insignia for belonging to other troops: 1 - internal troops; 2 – civil defense troops; 3 – railway troops
Emblems of branches, branches and services of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: 1 – Strategic Missile Forces; 2 - Ground troops; 3 – Air Defense Forces; 4 - Air Force; 5 – Airborne troops; 6 – Space Forces; 7 – motorized rifle troops; 8 - tank forces; 9 – missile forces and artillery; 10 – engineering troops; 11 – radiation, chemical and biological protection troops; 12 - Signal Corps; 13 - automobile troops; 14 – road troops; 15 – topographic service; 16 – legal service; 17 – military communications service; 18 – fuel and lubricants service; 19 – medical service; 20 – veterinary and sanitary service; 21 - military band service
Legally, the Armed Forces of Russia have existed since May 7, 1992 (Decree of the President of Russia No. 466). Also legally, the Soviet Army ceased to exist on December 25, 1991, when the Belovezh Agreement on the liquidation of the USSR came into force. In fact, the Soviet Army began to disintegrate in the fall of 1989, when the former Soviet republics of the USSR, one after another, began to declare their state sovereignty. During this period, the actual creation of national armies began. The leadership of Russia and the Soviet Army made feeble attempts to maintain a unified army called the United Armed Forces of the Union of Independent States (CIS Joint Forces). However, it was not possible to stop the process of dismantling the once mighty army into national homes. Legally, the CIS Allied Forces existed from December 25, 1991 to May 7, 1992.
Military personnel of the Soviet Army units (CIS Allied Forces) stationed in Russia from December 1991 to May 1992 continued to wear the uniform and insignia of the Soviet Army. Since the legal registration of the Russian Army on May 7, 1992, wearing the uniform and insignia of the Soviet Army is, in fact, considered illegal. However, only on May 23, 1994, Russian Presidential Decree No. 1010 was issued on the introduction of uniforms and insignia of the Russian Armed Forces (including the Russian Army)
The uniform of the Russian Army is very significantly different from the uniform of the Soviet Army. The logo has changed significantly. First of all, the colored buttonholes are removed from the uniform. Khaki buttonholes remain only on generals' greatcoats. The bands of everyone's caps become the same color as the crown. It becomes impossible to distinguish between types of troops by the colors of clothing items. Since 1994, the color scheme of the uniform has been presented for all ground forces in khaki color with red piping and gaps for officer shoulder straps (blue for the Airborne Forces and Military Space Forces); and blue with blue edging and gaps of officer shoulder straps for aviation. For the first time since 1924, infantry (motorized rifle) receive their own emblem. A new emblem of the military space forces appears. The emblem of the veterinary service, abolished in the eighties, is being revived.
The emblem of the military branches, despite the disappearance of buttonholes, is expanding. On the left sleeve near the shoulder, all military personnel on all types of clothing (except shirts) wear a patch indicating membership in the Russian Army (initially, navy personnel also receive this patch. Later, it is replaced by their own patch). This patch is legally binding. Without it, a person in military clothing with any other insignia is not considered a serviceman of the Russian Army.
The emblems of the military branches, previously located on colored buttonholes, are moved to the corners of the collars, and on a number of items of military clothing on shoulder straps (shirts, greatcoats (coats) and demi-season jackets with a fur collar, a summer raincoat, a woolen jacket).
Emblems of military branches on collars and shoulder strapsThe emblems are golden in color for the dress and casual uniforms of all military personnel, and dull gray for the field uniforms.
2-Strategic Missile Forces. 2-Combined arms emblem. Intended for military personnel for whom the emblems of the military branch, services (rear services, financiers, administrative bodies, military commissariats, military missions, etc.) have not been determined. 3-Air Defense Troops. 4-Air Force. 5-Airborne troops. 6-Military space forces. 7-Motorized rifle troops. 8-Tank troops. 9-Rocket troops and artillery. 10-Engineering troops. 11-Radiation, biological and chemical protection troops. 12-Signal Troops. 13-vehicle troops. 14-Road troops. 15-Topographic service. 16-Legal service. 17-Military Transport Service (this emblem was also worn by the railway troops, which are not part of the Russian Armed Forces, but are part of the civilian Ministry of Railways). 18-Fuel and lubricants service. 19-Medical service. 20-Veterinary and sanitary service. 21-Military Band Service
In addition to the emblems on the collars, sleeve emblems of the military branches were introduced. They are attached to the right sleeve of all types of clothing (except shirts) of all military personnel. Instead of sleeve insignia for the branches of the military, the emblem of a specific military district, formation, unit, emblem of belonging to elite units and subunits (Special Forces, Osnaz, GRU Spetsnaz, Military Intelligence, etc., etc.) can be attached to this place. The figure shows the emblems of three military branches as an example.
In addition to sleeve emblems, a breastplate with the emblem of the military branch is being introduced. This patch is attached to the field uniform above the right pocket.
By Order of the Russian Ministry of Defense No. 210 of March 28, 1997, sleeve emblems for the branches of the Armed Forces are introduced on the right sleeve, without canceling the emblems for the branches of the military.
1-Central apparatus of the Russian Defense Ministry.
2-Strategic Missile Forces.
3-Ground forces.
4-Country Air Defense Troops.
5-Air Force.
6-Navy.
7-Military space forces.
8-Aviation of ground forces.
9-Airborne troops.
10-Aviation of the country's air defense forces.
By the same order of the Russian Ministry of Defense, for military representatives of the Russian Army abroad, a special emblem is introduced on the left sleeve instead of the standard emblem of belonging to the Russian Armed Forces. For military personnel performing duties as part of peacekeeping forces abroad, a blue patch with the yellow inscription “MS” is introduced on the field uniform above the left pocket.
By order of the Russian Ministry of Defense, in connection with the inclusion of the Military Space Forces in the Strategic Missile Forces, all symbols of the Military Space Forces are canceled - the emblem on shoulder straps and collars (6), the sleeve emblem (7).
Each branch and type of troops has its own attributes. In addition to the battle flag and chevrons, the concept of distinctive signs includes shoulder straps. It is by this accessory that one can determine not only the rank of a serviceman, but also his affiliation with one or another army. However, it is very difficult for an unprepared person to do this. Today we will try to understand the colors and letter designations on the shoulder straps of military personnel and cadets of the Russian army, as well as law enforcement agencies.
Shoulder straps of the USSR (1973-1991)
Since there are quite a lot of types of modern shoulder straps, first let’s take a little dip into history, namely, in the seventies of the last century, where in the ranks of the USSR armed forces, in terms of shoulder straps, everything was simple and clear - the accessories on the shoulders of non-officer personnel were monolithic in color with the corresponding letters notations. For clarity, we list some types of shoulder straps:
- crimson with the letters BB meant that the soldier belonged to the internal troops of the USSR;
- scarlet shoulder straps with the inscription SA (it was simply deciphered - “Soviet army”) belonged to employees of the motorized rifle troops;
- red ones with the inscription SA were considered combined arms;
- border guard soldiers wore green shoulder straps with the letters PV;
- black shoulder badges with the letters SA were worn by tank crews and artillerymen;
- blue shoulder straps with SA markings belonged to paratroopers, as well as to all Air Force employees;
- blue shoulder straps decorated with the letters GB were worn by representatives of the State Security Committee.
Separately, it is worth highlighting the shoulder straps of the USSR Navy servicemen. They were black, but for some time their distinctive feature was the letter designation of the fleet in which the sailor served. For example, the markings of the BF and TF were deciphered as “Baltic Fleet” and “Pacific Fleet”, respectively.
Modern shoulder straps
Of course, some elements of shoulder straps migrated to the modern army from the USSR (some of them have not even undergone changes), but today the military accessories familiar to everyone look a little different. For example, you will no longer see a soldier in red or blue shoulder straps - now the colors are reflected only in the so-called gaps (stripes). In addition, today's field uniform completely implies the abandonment of traditional shoulder straps (the rank insignia is located in the chest area).
Fortunately, the daily and dress uniforms of military personnel of all ranks have undergone a minimal number of changes in terms of attributes compared to the Soviet period. Let's take a closer look at the appearance of the shoulder straps of the modern Russian army, law enforcement agencies, as well as military educational institutions.
We should start with the fact that every contract soldier, regardless of the type of service, has at least 3 pairs of shoulder straps. This is due to the presence of casual and dress uniforms, as well as the rules for wearing military accessories on them.
An interesting fact is that on the tunic of an officer’s dress uniform (for example, the Airborne Forces) golden shoulder straps will be worn, while on a white shirt under the same tunic there should be accessories of the same white color. Of course, the shades of the gaps are strictly observed.
Now let's move on to the consideration of uniform paraphernalia by branches and types of troops.
Shoulder straps of the Ministry of Defense (combined arms, shoulder straps of the ground forces). This category of accessories includes products in the following colors:
- olive (everyday);
- white (ceremonial shirt);
- golden (ceremonial ones on the jacket);
- gray (everyday overcoat);
- green (for the office uniform of Moscow Region employees).
Both the classic version of hexagonal shoulder straps and products with a bevel are possible.
The presence of red gaps and edging of the same shade implies shoulder straps for all officer and non-officer ranks:
- without edging or gaps;
- with edging, but without gaps;
- with one or two gaps and edging.
In addition, the shoulder straps of the Ministry of Defense include olive cadet ones (with yellow edging and the letter K).
- blue shoulder straps with blue edging or gaps (everyday, depending on rank);
- white with edging or gaps (ceremonial shirt);
- golden with blue gaps or edging (ceremonial jacket);
- blue with blue edging or gaps (for office uniforms).
It is also possible to use both rectangular shoulder straps with a bevel and hexagonal products.
The shoulder straps of the airborne troops are in many ways identical to the paraphernalia of the Aerospace Forces (in the case where the shoulder straps look the same, the difference is made by the lapel near the button) with a few exceptions. Thus, the main color of everyday airborne shoulder straps is olive, and office accessories are painted in a dark green shade.
Shoulder straps of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (police) are rectangular products with one rounded side. For police officers, shoulder straps with red edging and similar clearances are intended. Accessories come in the following shades:
- gray-blue (for casual uniform);
- light blue (for a dress shirt);
- white (for a dress shirt; externally the same as the shoulder straps of the MO, with the exception of the buttonhole);
- golden (for a ceremonial jacket; also differs from the shoulder straps of the MO in the buttonhole).
In addition, gray-blue shoulder straps with yellow gaps, red edging and the letter K are intended for cadets of police schools.
For employees of such law enforcement agencies as the FSB and FSO, shoulder straps are made in the following colors:
- olive with cornflower blue (hereinafter) gaps and edging (everyday);
- blue-black (casual);
- blue (ceremonial shirt);
- white (ceremonial shirt);
- golden (ceremonial ones on the jacket).
In addition, shoulder straps for the presidential regiment are made in the same color scheme; they are decorated with the letters PP.
The Internal Troops of the Russian Federation have shoulder straps with maroon (crimson) gaps and edging. Accessories in olive, white and golden colors are intended for such military personnel.
Employees of the Russian Prosecutor's Office are the owners of blue shoulder straps with green gaps and edging.
The shoulder straps of servicemen of the Russian Navy deserve a separate discussion. The reason for this is that the sailors do not have a single color for the edging of their shoulder straps due to the fact that in the fleet several structures pay their debt to their homeland. Thus, there are the following types of Navy shoulder straps:
- black and cream with blue gaps and edging (everyday and ceremonial accessories for naval aviation);
- black and cream with yellow and black highlights, respectively (everyday and dress);
- black with white trim and white with black trim;
- black and cream with green highlights (everyday and formal for maritime border guards);
- black and cream with red highlights (for Marines).
- black with blue highlights (for office services).
For border service personnel, shoulder straps are made in olive, white and golden colors with green gaps and edging.
Shoulder straps for employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations are made using orange gaps and edging. The following shades of shoulder straps are used:
- black;
- white;
- blue;
- gray-blue (everyday, as well as cadet).
As for military educational institutions, cadets of the Suvorov School traditionally wear red shoulder straps with the letters SVU, and representatives of cadet corps attach the letters KK to their shoulder straps (the color depends on the corps).
Shoulder straps have a long history in the Russian army. They were first introduced by Peter the Great back in 1696, but in those days, shoulder straps served only as a strap that kept the gun belt or cartridge pouch from slipping off the shoulder. The shoulder strap was only an attribute of the uniform of the lower ranks: the officers were not armed with guns, and therefore they did not need shoulder straps.
Epaulets began to be used as insignia of rank with the accession of Alexander I to the throne. However, they did not denote rank, but membership in a particular regiment. The shoulder straps depicted a number indicating the number of the regiment in the Russian army, and the color of the shoulder strap indicated the number of the regiment in the division: red indicated the first regiment, blue the second, white the third, and dark green the fourth.
Since 1874, in accordance with the order of the military department No. 137 of 04.05. 1874, the shoulder straps of the first and second regiments of the division became red, and the color of the buttonholes and cap bands became blue. The shoulder straps of the third and fourth regiments became blue, but the third regiment had white buttonholes and bands, and the fourth regiment had green ones.
Army (not guards) grenadiers had yellow shoulder straps. The shoulder straps of the Akhtyrsky and Mitavsky Hussars and the Finnish, Primorsky, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and Kinburn Dragoon Regiments were also yellow. With the advent of rifle regiments, they were assigned crimson shoulder straps.
To distinguish a soldier from an officer, officer's shoulder straps were first trimmed with galloon, and since 1807, officers' shoulder straps were replaced with epaulettes. Since 1827, officer and general ranks began to be designated by the number of stars on their epaulettes: for warrant officers - 1, second lieutenant, major and major general - 2; lieutenant, lieutenant colonel and lieutenant general - 3; staff captain - 4; Captains, colonels and full generals did not have stars on their epaulettes. One star was retained for retired brigadiers and retired second majors - these ranks no longer existed by 1827, but retirees with the right to wear a uniform who retired in these ranks were preserved. Since April 8, 1843, insignia also appeared on the shoulder straps of lower ranks: one badge went to the corporal, two to the junior non-commissioned officer, and three to the senior non-commissioned officer. The sergeant major received a 2.5-centimeter-thick transverse stripe on his shoulder strap, and the ensign received exactly the same one, but located longitudinally.
In 1854, shoulder straps were also introduced for officers, leaving epaulettes only on ceremonial uniforms, and until the revolution there were almost no changes in shoulder straps, except that in 1884 the rank of major was abolished, and in 1907 the rank of ordinary ensign was introduced .
Officials of some civil departments - engineers, railway workers, police - also had shoulder straps.
However, after the October Revolution, shoulder straps were abolished along with military and civilian ranks.
The first insignia in the Red Army appeared on January 16, 1919. They were triangles, cubes and diamonds sewn onto the sleeves.
Rank insignia of the Red Army 1919-22
In 1922, these triangles, cubes and diamonds were transferred to sleeve valves. At the same time, a certain color of the valve corresponded to one or another branch of the military.
Rank insignia of the Red Army 1922-24
But these valves did not last long in the Red Army - already in 1924, rhombuses, kubars and triangles moved to the buttonholes. In addition, in addition to these geometric figures, another one appeared - a sleeper, intended for those service categories that corresponded to pre-revolutionary staff officers.
In 1935, personal military ranks were introduced into the Red Army. Some of them corresponded to the pre-revolutionary ones - colonel, lieutenant colonel, captain. Some were taken from the ranks of the former Tsarist Navy - lieutenant and senior lieutenant. The ranks corresponding to generals remained from the previous service categories - brigade commander, division commander, corps commander, army commander of the 2nd and 1st ranks. The rank of major, abolished under Alexander III, was restored. The insignia, in comparison with the buttonholes of the 1924 model, has hardly changed in appearance - only the four-cube combination has disappeared. In addition, the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was introduced, no longer designated by diamonds, but by one large star on the collar flap.
Rank insignia of the Red Army 1935
On August 5, 1937, the rank of junior lieutenant (one kubar) was introduced, and on September 1, 1939, the rank of lieutenant colonel. Moreover, the three sleepers now corresponded not to the colonel, but to the lieutenant colonel. The colonel received four sleepers.
On May 7, 1940, general ranks were introduced. The major general, as before the revolution, had two stars, but they were located not on the shoulder straps, but on the collar flaps. The lieutenant general had three stars. This is where the similarities with pre-revolutionary generals ended - instead of a full general, the lieutenant general was followed by the rank of colonel general, modeled on the German general oberst. The colonel general had four stars, and the army general who followed him, whose rank was borrowed from the French army, had five stars.
The insignia remained in this form until January 6, 1943, when shoulder straps were introduced into the Red Army. On January 13, they began to enter the troops.
Rank insignia of the Red Army 1943
Soviet shoulder straps had much in common with pre-revolutionary ones, but there were also differences: officer shoulder straps of the Red Army (but not the Navy) in 1943 were pentagonal, not hexagonal; the colors of the gaps indicated the type of troops, not the regiment; the clearance was a single whole with the shoulder strap field; there were colored edgings according to the type of troops; the stars were metal, gold or silver, and varied in size for junior and senior officers; ranks were designated by a different number of stars than before 1917, and shoulder straps without stars were not restored.
Soviet officer shoulder straps were five millimeters wider than pre-revolutionary ones. No encryption was placed on them. Unlike pre-revolutionary times, the color of the shoulder strap now corresponded not to the regiment number, but to the branch of the army. The edging also mattered. Thus, rifle troops had a crimson background shoulder strap and black edging, cavalry had dark blue with black edging, aviation had blue shoulder straps with black edging, tank crews and artillerymen had black with red edging, but sappers and other technical troops had black but with black edging. edging. Border troops and the medical service had green shoulder straps with red trim, and the internal troops received cherry shoulder straps with blue trim.
On khaki-colored field shoulder straps, the type of troops was determined only by the edging. Its color was the same as the color of the shoulder strap on the everyday uniform. Soviet officer shoulder straps were five millimeters wider than pre-revolutionary ones. Encryptions were placed on them very rarely, mostly by cadets of military schools.
A junior lieutenant, a major and a major general received one star each. Two each went to a lieutenant, a lieutenant colonel and a lieutenant general, three each went to a senior lieutenant, a colonel and a colonel general, and four went to the captain and general of the army. The shoulder straps of junior officers had one gap and from one to four silver-plated metal stars with a diameter of 13 mm, and the shoulder straps of senior officers had two gaps and from one to three stars with a diameter of 20 mm.
Badges for junior commanders were also restored. The corporal still had one stripe, the junior sergeant had two, the sergeant had three. The former wide sergeant major's stripe went to the senior sergeant, and the sergeant major received the so-called “hammer” for his shoulder straps.
According to the assigned military rank, belonging to the branch of the military (service), insignia (stars and gaps) and emblems were placed on the shoulder straps. For military lawyers and doctors, there were “medium” sprockets with a diameter of 18 mm. Initially, the stars of senior officers were attached not to the gaps, but to the field of braid next to them. Field shoulder straps had a field of khaki color (khaki cloth) with one or two gaps sewn to it. On three sides, the shoulder straps had piping according to the color of the branch of service. Clearances were installed - blue - for aviation, brown - for doctors, quartermasters and lawyers, red - for everyone else.
The field of an everyday officer's shoulder strap was made of golden silk or galloon. Silver braid was approved for everyday shoulder straps of engineering and command personnel, quartermaster, medical and veterinary services and lawyers. There was a rule according to which silver stars were worn on gilded shoulder straps, and vice versa, gilded stars were worn on silver shoulder straps, except for veterinarians - they wore silver stars on silver shoulder straps. The width of the shoulder straps is 6 cm, and for officers of the medical and veterinary services, military justice - 4 cm. It is known that such shoulder straps were called “oaks” in the army. The color of the piping depended on the type of military service and service - crimson in the infantry, blue in aviation, dark blue in cavalry, a gilded button with a star, with a hammer and sickle in the center, in the navy - a silver button with an anchor.
General's shoulder straps of the 1943 model, unlike soldiers' and officers', were hexagonal. They were gold with silver stars. The exception was the shoulder straps of generals of the medical and veterinary services and justice. Narrow silver shoulder straps with gold stars were introduced for them. Navy officer shoulder straps, unlike army ones, were hexagonal. Otherwise, they were similar to the army ones, but the color of the shoulder straps was determined: for officers of the naval, naval engineering and coastal engineering services - black, for aviation and engineering - aviation service - blue, quartermasters - crimson, for everyone else, including number of justice – red. Emblems were not worn on the shoulder straps of command and ship personnel. The color of the field, stars and edging of the shoulder straps of generals and admirals, as well as their width, were also determined by the branch of the army and service; the field of shoulder straps of senior officers was sewn from a special braid. The buttons of the Red Army generals had the image of the coat of arms of the USSR, and the admirals and generals of the Navy had the emblem of the USSR superimposed on two crossed anchors. On November 7, 1944, the location of the stars on the shoulder straps of colonels and lieutenant colonels of the Red Army was changed. Until this moment, they were located on the sides of the gaps, but now they have moved to the gaps themselves. On October 9, 1946, the shape of the shoulder straps of officers of the Soviet Army was changed - they became hexagonal. In 1947, on the shoulder straps of officers transferred to the reserve and retired by order of the Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR No. 4, a golden (for those who wore silver shoulder straps) or silver (for gold-plated shoulder straps) patch was introduced, which they are required to wear when they put on a military uniform (in 1949 this the patch was cancelled).
In the post-war period, minor changes occurred in the insignia. So, in 1955, everyday field double-sided shoulder straps were introduced for privates and sergeants.
In 1956, field shoulder straps for officers with stars and khaki emblems and clearances according to the branch of service were introduced. In 1958, the narrow shoulder straps of the 1946 model for doctors, veterinarians and lawyers were abolished. At the same time, the edging for everyday shoulder straps of soldiers, sergeants and foremen was also canceled. Silver stars are introduced on gold shoulder straps, and gold stars on silver ones. The colors of the gaps are red (combined arms, airborne troops), crimson (engineer troops), black (tank troops, artillery, technical troops), blue (aviation), dark green (medics, veterinarians, lawyers); blue (the color of cavalry) was abolished due to the liquidation of this type of troops. For generals of the medical, veterinary services and justice, wide silver shoulder straps with gold stars were introduced, for others - gold shoulder straps with silver stars.
In 1962, the “Project for the abolition of shoulder straps in the Soviet Army” appeared, which, fortunately, was not implemented.
In 1963, blue lights were introduced for airborne officers. The 1943 model sergeant's shoulder straps with the sergeant's hammer are being abolished. Instead of this “hammer”, a wide longitudinal braid is introduced, like a pre-revolutionary ensign.
In 1969, gold stars were introduced on gold shoulder straps, and silver stars on silver ones. The colors of the gaps are red (ground forces), crimson (medics, veterinarians, lawyers, administrative services) and blue (aviation, airborne forces). Silver general's shoulder straps are being abolished. All general's shoulder straps became gold, with gold stars framed with edging according to the branch of service.
In 1972, ensign shoulder straps were introduced. Unlike the pre-revolutionary ensign, whose rank corresponded to the Soviet junior lieutenant, the Soviet ensign was equivalent in rank to the American warrant officer.
In 1973, the codes SA (Soviet Army), VV (Internal Troops), PV (Border Troops), GB (KGB Troops) were introduced on the shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants, and K on the shoulder straps of cadets. It must be said that these letters appeared back in 1969, but initially, according to Article 164 of Order of the USSR Minister of Defense No. 191 of July 26, 1969, they were worn only on the ceremonial uniform. The letters were made of anodized aluminum, but since 1981, for economic reasons, metal letters were replaced by letters made of PVC film.
In 1974, new army general shoulder straps were introduced to replace the 1943 model shoulder straps. Instead of four stars, they had a marshal's star, above which was the emblem of motorized rifle troops.
In 1980, all silver shoulder straps with silver stars were abolished. The colors of the gaps are red (combined arms) and blue (aviation, airborne forces).
Shoulder straps SA 1982
In 1981, shoulder straps for a senior warrant officer were introduced, and in 1986, for the first time in the history of Russian officer shoulder straps, shoulder straps without gaps were introduced, differing only in the size of the stars (field uniform “Afghan”)
Currently, shoulder straps remain the insignia of the Russian army, as well as some categories of Russian civilian officials.
Main changes:
1. The appearance of the shoulder straps has changed. They became the same form for all ranks. 6-sided, officer type.
2. The rank of “marshal of the military branch” has been abolished
3. The army general was given back 4 stars instead of one big one.
4. The rank of “marshal of the military branch” has become simply an honorary title.
5. The lower ranks were given metal corners instead of transverse stripes.
6. Ensigns are assigned a shoulder strap.
7. The piping has only 2 colors: red and blue (for the Airborne Forces, Air Force and Military Space Forces).
Generals and marshals.
General's zigzag and stars with a diameter of 40 mm for the marshal and 22 mm for the generals:
Marshal of the Russian Federation: State emblem and 1 star in "shine"
- Army General: 4 stars
- Colonel General: 3
- Lieutenant General: 2
- Major General: 1
Senior officers.
2 clearances and faceted metal stars, 20 mm in diameter:
Junior officers.
1 clearance and faceted metal stars with a diameter of 13mm:
Captain: 4
-Senior Lieutenant: 3
-Lieutenant: 2
-Second Lieutenant: 1
Ensigns.
Shoulder straps like those of privates, with piping. The sprockets are metal, faceted like those of junior officers, but attached to the length of the shoulder strap:
Senior Warrant Officer: 3
- Ensign:2
Sergeants and foremen, as well as corporals and privates.
Shoulder straps of the standard standard for lower ranks have piping; At the bottom of the shoulder strap are the metal letters “BC”. The specific rank is determined by the number and type of metal corners.
Petty Officer: 1 wide and 1 narrow corner
- Senior Sergeant: 1 wide
- Sergeant: 3 narrow
- Junior sergeant: 2 narrow
- Corporal: 1 narrow
- Private: no corners.
On everyday shoulder straps the stars are of yellow metal (for generals they are made of yellow thread with red edging), on field ones they are white. In addition, there are muffs for field shoulder straps, where the stars are embroidered with green thread or stamped in gray.
The yellow metal emblem of the military branch is attached to the shoulder strap worn on a shirt, a jacket with a zipper or a raincoat under a button.
Currently, the emblems of the military branches have also changed. Both lapels and sleeves.
Lapel emblems attached to the collar of the tunic are also attached to shoulder straps worn on a shirt, a tunic with a zipper and a raincoat. They are made of yellow metal. Currently, they have once again been subject to change. They became larger and lacked absolutely unnecessary wreaths.
It looks like this:
1 – Ground Forces (in the project Motorized Rifle Forces); 2 – tank troops; 3 – RKhBZ troops; 4 – Air Force aviation; 5 – Air Force air defense missile system; 6 – RTV Air Force; 7 – Airborne Forces; 8 – Strategic Missile Forces; 9 – KV; 10 – R&A; 11 – military air defense; 12 – signal troops; 13 – road troops; 14 – railway troops; 15 – automobile troops; 16 – engineering troops; 17 – pipeline troops; 18 – topographic service; 19 – VOSO service; 20 – medical service; 21 – veterinary and sanitary service; 22 – Military band service; 23 – legal service; 24 – environmental service.
Also, a certain NATO system is currently being introduced. The emblem of the military branch is located on a leather tag attached to the button of the breast pocket. Worn with a service shirt.
The breastplate in the form of a medium emblem is worn on a leather lining. On the reverse side of the badge there is a device for attaching to a leather lining. The black lining is pointed at the bottom and has a loop at the top for attaching to the chest pocket button.
