Ranks and insignia of the Russian armed forces until 1917

The Imperial Russian Army (Russian: Ру́сская импера́торская а́рмия, РИА) and the Imperial Russian Navy (Russian: Российский императорский флот) used particular ranks and rank insignia, oriented to German speaking and anglophone terms. However, the entire ranking system was also closely connected to the Russian military historical traditions. The successor armed forces, the Red Army, abolished the historical crown ranks and the rank insignia in 1917-18. Military units engaged in the so-called White movement and in the battles and campaigns of the Russian Civil War used these ranks until the year 1923.

Army ranks and rank designation

The following ranks and their respective insignia, from 1912 to 1917, were also used by the personnel of the Imperial Russian Air Service.

General officers

Designation	Commander-in-chief & higher commanders
Rank designation shoulder strap
Rank insignia	General field marshal	General of the branch	Lieutenant general	Major general
Native designation	(Генерал-фельдмаршал) (General-feldmarschal)	(Генерал рода войск) (General roda voisk)	(Генера́л-лейтена́нт) (General-leitenant)	(Генера́л-майо́р) (General-maior)
NATO rank	OF-10	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6

Officers

Designation	Field and junior grade officers
Rank insignia shoulder strap
Rank designation	Polkovnik	Podpolkovnik	Major (abolished 1884)	Captain	Staff-captain	Poruchik	Podporuchik	Praporshik
Native designation	Полковник	Подполко́вник	Майор (abolished 1884)	Капитан	Штабс-капитан	Пору́чик	Подпору́чик	Пра́порщик
Cavalry equivalent	Polkovnik	Podpolkovnik	Major (abolished 1884)	Rittmeister	Staff-rittmeister	Poruchik	Kornet	-
Cossacks equivalent	Cossack colonel	Vojskovaja starshina (since 1884)	Vojskovaja starshina (until 1884)	Yesaul	Podyesaul	Sotnik	Khorunzhyi	-
Rank group	Staff-officer			Upper-officer
NATO rank	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2		OF-1		OF(D)

Non-commissioned officers & enlisted men

Designation	Non-commissioned officers & enlisted men (example boards- 1st Neva Infantry regiment)
Rank insignia shoulder strap
Rank insignia	Zaurjad-praporshchik (1885-1917)	Podpraporshchik (1855-1917)	Feldwebel	Senior Unteroffizier	Junior Unteroffizier	Gefreiter	Private
Native designation	Зауряд-прапорщик, Zaurjad-praporshchik	Подпрапощик, Podpraporshchik	Фельдфебель, Fel'dfebel'	Старший унтер-офицер, Starschi unter-ofitzer	Младший унтер-офицер, Mladschi unter-ofitzer	Ефрейтор, Yefreytor	Рядовой, Ryadovoy
Cavalry equivalent	-	-	Senior Wachtmeister	Junior Wachtmeister	Unteroffizier	Gefreiter	Private
Cossacks equivalent	-	Podhorunzhyi	Wachtmeister	Senior Warden	Junior Warden	First Cossack	Cossack
Artillery equivalent	Zaurjad-praporshchik	Podpraporshchik	Feldwebel	Senior Feuerwerker	Junior Feuerwerker	Bombardier	Gunner
Rank group	NCO					Soldier
NATO rank	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-3	OR-1

Other regiments and cadet corps

The following shoulder board designations of the Imperial Army are illustrated below, which were used by the following units and cadet corps.

• 
  Orenburg-Neplyuevski Cadet Corps
• 
  I/15th Tschernogorsker Rifles-Cp
  (kaiserl. Hoheit Nikolai I)
• 
  5th Regiment
  (Karopolian Dragoon)
• 
  Orlowski Cadet Corpss
• 
  Pskower Cadet Corps
• 
  Vladimir Kiev cadet corps

Naval ranks and rank insignia

The Imperial Russian Navy (Russian: Российский императорский флот) of the Russian Empire, had been established en of the 17th century under regency of Peter the Great and by the personal leadership of Franz Lefort. It existed until the October Revolution of 1917.^[1]

Ranks of the naval service

Flag officers (naval service)

Designation	Commander-in-chief & higher flag officers								Admiralty officers 1904-1907
Rank insignia shoulder strap
Rank insignia	General admiral		Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		General of the Fleet			Admiralty lieutenant general			Admiralty major general
Native designation	(General-admiral)		(Admiral)		(Vitse-admiral)		(Kontr-admiral)		(Admiral flota)			(General-lejtenant admirality)			(General-major admirality)
NATO rank	OF-10		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-8			OF-7			OF-6

Officers

Designation	Commanders at sea & officers
Rank insignia shoulder board
Rank insignia	Captain Commodore, (abolished 1764, reintroduced 1798-1827) Captain Brigadier (1765-1798)	Captain 1st rank	Captain 2nd rank	Captain-lieutenant (abolished 1884, retrieved 1907-11)	Senior lieutenant introduced 1907	Lieutenant	Michman (Midshipman)
Native designation	(Капита́н-командо́р), (Капита́н бригади́рского ра́нга)	(Капитан 1-oго ранга)	(Капитан 2-oго ранга)	(Kapитан-лейтенант)	(Старший лейтенант)	(Лейтенант)	(1909-1917)	(1884-1909)
Rank group	Staff officer				Junior officer
NATO rank	OF-5		OF-4	OF-3	OF-1

Non-commissioned officers & enlisted ratings, naval services

Designation	Petty officers & enlisted ratings
Rating insignia shoulder boards
Rating insignia	Gardemarin (abolished 1883)	Senior boatswain	Conductor Senior (army) field surgeon	Boatswain	Coxswain	Quartermaster	Seaman 1st rank	Seaman 2nd rank
Native designation	(Gardmarin)	(Starshy botsman)	(Konduktor Starshy feldsher)	(Botsman)	(Botsmanmat)	(Kwartirmeister)	(Matros pervoi stati)	(Matros vtoroi stati)
NATO rank	OR-8			OR-7	OR-6	OR-4	OR-2	OR-1

Ranks of coastal services

Ranks similar to those used by the Imperial Army were, starting from the late 18th century, being used by the coastal services of the Imperial Russian Navy.

General officers

Designation	Higher commanders
Rank designation shoulder strap
Rank insignia	General of the fleet	Lieutenant general	Major general
Native designation	(Флота генерал) (Flota general)	(Генера́л-лейтена́нт) (General-leitenant)	(Генера́л-майо́р) (General-maior)
NATO rank	OF-8	OF-7	OR-6

Officers

Designation	Field and junior grade officers
Rank insignia shoulder strap
Rank insignia	Brigadier (abolished 1798)	Colonel	Lieutenant colonel	Major (abolished 1884)	Captain	Staff captain	Lieutenant	Sub-lieutenant	Ensign
Native designation	Бригади́р	Полковник	Подполко́вник	Майо́р	Капитан	Штабс-капитан	Пору́чик	Подпору́чик	Пра́порщик
Rank group	Staff officer				Junior officer
NATO rank	OF-5		OF-4	OF-3	OF-2		OF-1

Non-commissioned officers & enlisted men

Designation	Non-commissioned officers & enlisted men
Rank insignia shoulder strap
Rank insignia	Warrant officer (1885-1917)	Junior warrant officer (1855-1917)	Sergeant	Senior under officer	Junior under officer	Sea corporal	Sea soldier
Native designation	(Зауряд-прапорщик)	(Подпрапощик)	(Фельдфебель)	(Старший унтер-офицер, starschy unter-ofizer)	(Младший унтер-офицер, mladschy unter-ofizer)	(Морской eфрейтор, Morskoy efreytor)	(Морской солдат, Morskoy soldat)
Rank group	NCO					Soldier
NATO rank	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-4	OR-2	OR-1

See also

• History of Russian military ranks
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Red Army 1918–1935, ... 1935–1940, and ... 1940–1943
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 1943–1955 and ... 1955–1991
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian Federation´s armed forces 1994–2010
• Army ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation and Naval ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation for the current ranks

References

1. Erich Donnert: Peter the Great (de: Peter der Große), Koehler & Amelang, Leipzig, page. 130