Kapitan/ military pilot of the Red Army´s Air Force, uniform with distinction insignia ca. 1935/40.
Individual rank insignia to the (Army) ground forces and (Navy) naval forces (1935–1940) were disposed by orders 2590 and 2591, from September 22, 1935.[1]
This was mainly aimed to supreme commanders, commanding officers, and personnel in charge to exert command and control in the “Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, published by order of the number 176 of the “USSR People's Commissar of Defence, dated from December 03, 1935.[2]
Situation in 1935[]
In line to orders, mentioned above, the new distinction insignia of commanding personnel should provide indication as follow:
- Adherence to the particular branch of service (e.g. Army, Air Force, or NAVY), or special troops
- Qualification, professional responsibility, specific knowledge
- rank insignia, operational/ tactical responsibility, e.g. level of military command, formation, unit, or subunit.
The top military ran Marshall of the Soviet Union was disposed by order of the “USSR Central Executive Committee” and the “Council of People's Commissars” from September 22, 1935
Military ranks[]
The military ranks as to the decision of the “USSR Central Executive Committee” and the “Council of People's Commissars” from November 21, 1935 are contained in the table below.
Land forces Air Force |
Naval forces | equivalent in GUGB/NKWD | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Enlisted men & junior leading staff | ||||
Krasnoareez | OR1[3] | Krasnoflotez (from 1946: Matros) |
OR1 | no equivalent |
Otdeljonnyi komandir | OR6 | |||
Mladshij komandir | OR7 | No equivalent | ||
Starshina | OR8 | |||
Commanding staff | ||||
Lejtenant | OF[4] | Sergeant of the state security | ||
Starshij lejtenant | Mladshij lejtenent of the state security | |||
Kapitan | OF2 | Kapitan-lejtenant | OF2 | Lejtenant of the state security |
Major | OF3 | Kapitan 3rd rank | OF3 | Starshij lejtenant of the state security |
Polkovnik | OF5 | Kapitan 2nd rank | OF4 | Kapitan of the state security |
Kombrig | OF6 | Kapitan 1st rank | OF5 | Major of the state security |
Komdiv | OF7 | Flagman 2nd rank | OF6 | Starshij major of the state security |
Komkor | OF8 | Flagman Ist rank | OF7 | Commissar of the state security 3rd rank |
Komandarm 2nd rank | OF9 | Flagman of the fleet 2nd rank | OF8 | Commissar of the state security 2nd rank |
Komandarm 1st rank | Flagman of the fleet 1st rank | OF9 | Commissar of the state security 1st rank | |
Marshall of the Soviet Union | OF10 | No equivalent | Genera-commissar of the state security |
Addition regulations[]
Additional regulations to Political commissars and military specialists are contained in the table below.
Military-political staff all service branches |
Military-technician staff | Military-administration and support all service branches | Military-medical service all service branches | Military-veterinarian all service branches | Military-legal service all service branches | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Land forces & Air Force |
Naval forces | |||||
No rank established | Mil-technician 2nd rank | Technical-intendant 2nd rank | Army-surgeon | Veterinarian army-surgeon | Junior military jurist | |
Politleader | Mil-technician 1st rank | Technical-intendant 1st rank | Senior army-surgeon | Senior veterinarian army-surgeon | Military jurist | |
Seniorpolitleader | Mil-engineer 3rd rank | Intendant 3rd rank | Military physician 3rd rank | Military veterinarian 3rd rank | Military jurist 3rd rank | |
Bataillon commissar | Mil-engineer 2nd rank | Intendant 2nd rank | Mil-physician 2nd rank | Mil-vet-physician 2nd rank | Military jurist 2nd rank | |
Regiment commissar | Mil-engineer 1st rankk | Intendant 1st rank | Mil-physician 1st rank | Mil-vet-physician 1st rank | Military jurist 1st rank | |
Brigade commissar | Brig-engineer | Engineer-flagman 3rd rank | Brig-intendant | Brig-physician | Brig-vet-physician | Brig-mil-jurist |
Division commissar | Div-engineer | Engineer-flagman 2nd rank | Div-intendant | Div-physician | Div-vet-pysician | Div-mil-jurist |
Corps commissar | Cor-engineer | Engineer-flagman 1st rank | Cor-intendant | Cor-physician | Cor-vet-pysician | Cor-military-jurist |
Army commissar 2nd rank | Arm-engineer | Engineer-flagman of the fleet | Arm-intendant | Arm- physician | Arm-veterinarian | Arm-military-jurist |
Army commissar 1st rank | No rank established |
1937[]
More regulations were established in 1937, in line to general instructions of the Red Army. In line to paragraph 10 of this instruction, the subdivision of personnel in uniform to rank groups and assignments (in the following rank groups) was granted.
- Leading staff: this group contained military politicians, military administration and commissariat, medical service, veterinarian service, military legal service
- Commanding staff: to this group counted personnel with the ranks commander in chief and commander
- Junior commanding staff
- Enlisted men
Paragraph 14 of this instruction contained the so-called individual ranks and rank designations in line to the order from September 22, 1935, and with the (as to August 5, 1937) additional established OF-1c ranks Mladshij lejtenant and Mladshij military technical) as to August 5, 1937.
1939[]
By decision of the extraordinary session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (end of August until early September 1939) the low on universal compulsory service was adopted, and the new OF4-ranks Podpolkovnik and Battalion commissar were disposed. A commensurate OF4-rank to the Soviet navy was not established.
Rank designations[]

Example Polkovnik armoured corps with rank insignia big (coat), small (battle jacket) 1940.
In line to the individual ranks the establishment of defined ran insignia were determined in December 1935 as well. From this time military staff, including political commissars, military administration/ commissariat, medical service, veterinarian service, military legal service of the Red Army wore rank insignia as follows.
- Rank insignia chevron: on both sleeves (short above the cuff)
- Rank insignia big: on both collar-edges of the uniform coat
- Rank insignia small: on both collar-edges of the battle jacket, the so-called Gymnastjorka
However, naval military staff wore sleeve insignia (stripes and stars) on both sleeves of the uniform. The rank insignia were in line to rank group differently designed.
- Commander in chief, higher commanding officers and top appointments OF10 to OF6
- Rank insignia big (over coat): on a rhombic padding, gold coloured border, one to four rhombic red enameled badges, gold colourer Soviet star small/ big
- Rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka): on rectangle padding, gold coloured border, one to four rhombic red enameled badges
- Sleeve insignia (over coat): one to four gold colored chevrons, Soviet star small/ big, one red coloured extra chevron OF10
- Commanding officers and unit leaders OF5, OF3 und OF2
- Rank insignia big (over coat): on rhombic padding, gold coloured border, one to three red enameled rectangle badges
- Rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka): on rectangle padding, gold coloured border, one to four red enameled rectangle badges
- Subunit leader OF1
- Rank insignia big (over coat): on rhombic padding, gold coloured border, one to four red enameled square badges
- Rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka): on rectangle padding, gold coloured border, one to four red enameled square badges
- Sub-subunit leader and enlisted men OR8 to OR1
- Sub-subunit leader
- Rank insignia big (over coat): on rhombic padding, gold coloured border, one to three red enameled trigonal badges
- Rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka): on rectangle padding, gold coloured border, one to four red enameled trigonal badges
- Enlisted men: simple rank insignia big (over coat)/ simple rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka)
Table rank insignia land forces 1935–1940[]
Generals[]
Designation | Commander in chief, higher commanders and top appointments | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank insignia |
Coat-collar | ![]() |
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Gymnastjorka | ![]() |
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Coat-chevron | ![]() |
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Rank designation | Marshall of the Soviet Union | Komandarm 1st rank | Komandarm 2nd rank | Komkor | Komdiv | Kombrig | |
(native designation) | (Маршал Советского Союза) | (Командарм 1-го ранга) | (Командарм 2-го ранга) | (Комкор) | (Комдив) | (Комбриг) | |
OF-equivalent | OF10 | OF9 | OF8 | OF7 | OF6 | ||
Rank designation after 1940 | No change | Armeegeneral (Chief marshal of the branch & Marshal of the branch) |
Generaloberst | Generalleutnant | Generalmajor |
Officers[]
Designation | Commanding officers and unit leaders | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank insignia |
Coat-collar | On rhombic padding, golden coloured border, 1–3 badges (rectangleas / squarwe) as depicted below |
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Gymnastjorka | ![]() |
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Rank designation | Polkovnik | Major | Kpitan | Starshij lejtenant | Lejtenant | Mladshij lejtenant | ||
(Native designation) | (Полковник) | (Майор) | (Капитан) | (Старшйи лейтенант) | (Лейтенант) | (Младшйи лейтенант) | ||
OF-equivalent | OF5 | OF3 | OF2 | OF1 |
Sub-subunit leaders and enlisted men[]
[]
Flagg officers[]
Designation | Commander in chief, higher commanders and top appointments | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Sleeve insignia | ![]() |
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Rank designation |
Flagman of the fleet 1st rank |
Flagman of the fleet 2nd rank |
Flagman 1st rank |
Flagman 2nd rank |
(native designation) | (Флагман флота 1-го ранга) | (Флагман флота 2-го ранга) | (Флагман 1-го ранга) | (Флагман 2-го ранга) |
OF-equivalent | OF9 | OF8 | OF7 | OF6 |
Rank designation after 1940 | Flottenadmiral | Admiral | Vizeadmiral | Konteradmiral |
Officers[]
Sub-subunit leader and enlisted men[]
See also[]
- History of Russian military ranks
- Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian armed forces until 1917
- Ranks and rank insignia of the Red Army 1918–1935
- Ranks and rank insignia of the Red Army 1940–1943
- Army ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation
References[]
- ↑ Rank insignia and sequence of ranks of the “Workers' and Peasants' Red Army” as to order number 2590 of the “USSR Central Executive Committee” and “Council of People's Commissars” from September 22, 1935. Other solutions to ground forces and navy of the “Workers' and Peasants' Red Army” were disposed by order 2591.
- ↑ Order number 176 of the „People's Commissar of defence of the USSR” from December 3, 1935 pertaining individual military ranks of the land forces and the Navy of the “Workers' and Peasants' Red Army”.
- ↑ The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"
- ↑ The abbreviation "OF" stands for de: "Offizier / en: officer / fr: officier / ru: офицер"
The original article can be found at Ranks and rank insignia of the Red Army 1935–1940 and the edit history here.