Army ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation

Emblem of the armed forces of the Russian Federation

Emblem of the land forces of the Russian Federation

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

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 (Генера́л а́рмии) (Generál ármii)				OF-9
	Colonel general (Генера́л-полко́вник) (Generál-polkóvnik)
	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 (Лейтена́нт) (Leytenánt)
	Junior lieutenant (Мла́дший лейтена́нт) (Mládshiy Leytenánt)				Acting Officer

Praporshchik and other ranks

Category	Troop ranks	Parade uniform insignia	Everyday uniform insignia	Field uniform insignia	NATO equivalent
Praporshchik ranks	Starshy praporshchik (Ста́рший пра́порщик) (Starshiy praporshchik)				OR-9
	Praporshchik (Пра́порщик) (Praporshchik)				OR-8
Sergeants	Starshina (Старшина́) (Starshiná)				OR-7
	Senior sergeant (Ста́рший сержа́нт) (Stárshiy serzhánt)				OR-6
	Sergeant (Сержа́нт) (Serzhánt)				OR-5
	Junior sergeant[Note 2] (Мла́дший сержа́нт) (Mládshiy Serzhánt)				OR-4
Soldiers and airmen	Private first class (Ефре́йтор) (Yefréytor)				OR-3
	Private (Рядово́й) (Ryadovóy)				OR-2

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).
2. Equivalent of corporal.

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 2008-2011 defence reform the Russian Army's 90,000 warrant officer positions have been removed but on February 27, 2013 the expanded board of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Russian Defense Minister S. Shoigu announced the return of the warrant officer to the Armed Forces of Russia.^[1]

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 Imperial Russian Army and 1970s Soviet Army insignia. 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 would be given out later that summer.

References

1. http://www.5-tv.ru/news/72342/ in Russian

See also

• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian Federation´s armed forces 1994–2010
• Naval ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation
• Comparative military ranks
• Russian military ranks
• Ranks and insignia of the Soviet military
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian armed forces until 1917

External

• 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)
• Military ranks of Russia