Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1955–1991) explained

The ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces between 1955 and 1991 were distinguished by the reorganisation of the Soviet armed forces after the death of Stalin, resulting in changes to ranks, insignia, and uniforms.

Changes to distinction insignia

Shoulder straps to field utilization

In December 1956 the coloured border piping on officers' shoulder straps was changed. A cinnamon-brown color was used instead of the burgundy red previously worn by commanders and commanding officers. All other officers and other ranks wore corps colours as follows:

• Motorised & mechanised rifles – raspberry
• Artillery & armored troops – black, red
• Air Force & aviation – blue
• Technical troops of any kind and the navy – black

The regimental numberings of the 1943 system were removed altogether.

Enlisted men, non-commissioned officers, warrant officers, and michman

Army, Air Force

Colors by type of troops:

• motorized infantry troops – red (scarlet);
• artillery, rocket, tank, engineering, construction, automobile, railway troops, signal-corps, troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection – black;
• air force and airborne troops – sky blue;
• state security troops (KGB troops) – dark blue, instead of the letters "СА" (Russian: Советская Армия) the letters "Russian: ГБ" (Russian: Государственная Безопасность – State Security);
• internal troops (Interior Ministry troops) – crimson (dark red), instead of the letters "СА" (Russian: Советская Армия) the letters "Russian: ВВ" (Russian: Внутренние Войска);
• border troops – green, instead of the letters "Russian: СА" (Russian: Советская Армия) the letters "Russian: ПВ" (Russian: Пограничные Войска).

Ratings of the Navy, coastal services and other shore commands

Rank group	Warrant officers		Boatswain/petty officers					Enlisted men
Shoulder boards
	Russian: Старший мичман Russian: [[Starshy michman]]	Russian: Мичман Russian: [[Michman]]	Russian: Главный корабельный старшина Russian: [[Glavny starshina of the ship|Glavny korabelny starshina]]		Russian: Главный старшина Russian: [[Glavny starshina]]	Russian: Старшина 1 статьи Russian: [[Starshina 1st stage|Starshina 1 statie]]	Russian: Старшина 2 статьи Russian: [[Starshina 2nd class|Starshina 2 statie]]	Russian: Старший матрос Russian: [[Leading seaman|Starshina matros]]	Russian: Матрос Russian: [[Seaman (rank)|Matros]]
	Russian: Ста́рший пра́порщик Russian: [[Starshy praporshchik|Stárshiy práporshchik]]	Russian: Пра́порщик Russian: [[Praporshchik|Práporshchyk]]	Russian: Старшина́ Russian: [[Starshina|Starshyná]]		Russian: Ста́рший сержа́нт Russian: [[Senior sergeant#Russia|Stárshiy serzhánt]]	Russian: Сержа́нт Russian: [[Sergeant#Russia|Serzhánt]]	Russian: Мла́дший сержа́нт Russian: [[Junior sergeant#Russia|Mládshiy serzhánt]]	Russian: Старший матрос Russian: [[Leading seaman|Starshina matros]]	Russian: Матрос Russian: [[Seaman (rank)|Matros]]
US equivalent	Chief warrant officer	Warrant officer	Fleet/force master chief petty officer		Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer	Petty officer second class	Seaman	Seaman recruit

Letter codes from 1972 onward

• The letter imprint "Russian: СА" on army shoulder boards stood for Russian: Советская Аpмия (Russian: Sovetskaya Armiya) and was the symbol of adherence to the Soviet Army.
• The letter imprint on Soviet navy shoulder boards symbolised the adherence to the appropriate fleet or naval major command.^[1]
  • Russian: Ф – Fleet (Russian: Флот|Flot), general personnel of the Navy
  • Russian: БФ – Baltic Fleet (Russian: Балтийский Флот|Baltiski flot)
  • Russian: ЧМ – Black Sea Fleet (Russian: Черноморский Флот|Chernomorski flot)
  • Russian: СФ – Northern Fleet (Russian: Северный Флот|Severny flot)
  • Russian: ТФ – Pacific Fleet (Russian: Тихоокеанский Флот|Tikhookeanski flot)
• Other letter symbols
  • Russian: ВВ – (Russian: Внутренние Войска|Vnutrennie voiska) – Internal Troops
  • Russian: ВМУ – (Russian: Военно-музыкальное Училище|Voyenno-musykalnoye Utchilishche) – students of military musician schools or cadets of military bands
• Russian: ВС – (Russian: Вооружённые Силы|Voorushonnye Sily) – armed forces (Soviet Army, later USSR armed forces, also Armed forces of the USSR)
• Russian: ГБ – (Russian: Госуда́рственной Безопа́сности|Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti) – Committee for State Security (KGB)
• Russian: К – (Russian: Курсант|Kursant) – higher military college student
• Russian: Н – (Russian: Нахимовец|Nakhimovez) – cadet in the Nakhimov Naval School
• Russian: ПВ – (Russian: Пограничные войска|Pogranitshnye voiska) – border troops
• Russian: СШ – (Russian: Cпециальная школа|Spezialnaya shkola) – special school
• Russian: СВУ – (Russian: Суворовец|Suvorovez) – cadet at a Suvorov Military School

Army officers and generals (all services)

Marshals of the branch

The rank of Army general was only awarded to officers of the army from the infantry branch directly, all other branches and services were promoted to the ranks of marshal and chief marshal of the branch.

Rank	Chief marshal of the branch
Insignia
Rank designation	Russian: Главный маршал артиллерии Russian: Glavnyy marshal artillerii	Russian: Главный маршал авиации Russian: Glavnyy marshal aviatsii	Russian: Главный маршал бронетанковых войск Russian: Glavnyy marshal bronetankovykh voysk	Russian: Главный маршал войск связи Russian: Glavnyy marshal voysk svyazi	Russian: Главный маршал инженерных войск Russian: Glavnyy marshal inzhenernykh voysk
Translation	Chief marshal of artillery	Chief marshal of aviation	Chief marshal of the armoured troops	Chief marshal of the signal troops	Chief marshal of the engineer troops
Rank	Marshal of the branch
Insignia
Rank designation	Russian: Маршал артиллерии Russian: Marshal artillerii	Russian: Маршал авиации Russian: Marshal aviatsii	Russian: Маршал бронетанковых войск Russian: Marshal bronetankovykh voysk	Russian: Маршал войск связи Russian: Marshal voysk svyazi	Russian: Маршал инженерных войск Russian: Marshal inzhenernykh voysk
Translation	Marshal of artillery	Marshal of aviation	Marshal of the armoured troops	Marshal of the signal troops	Marshal of the engineer troops

Naval officers and flag officers (all services)

Rank group	Flag officers						Senior officers			Junior officers				Officer cadet
Shoulder board
Sleeve insignia
	Russian: Адмирал флота советского союза Russian: [[Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union|Admiral flota sovietskogo soyuza]]	Russian: Адмирал флота Russian: [[Admiral of the fleet (Soviet Union)|Admiral flota]]		Russian: Адмирал Russian: [[Admiral (Russia)|Admiral]]	Russian: Вице-адмирал Russian: [[Vice admiral|Vitse-admiral]]	Russian: Контр-адмирал Russian: [[Counter admiral#Russia and other former communist countries|Contre-admiral]]	Russian: Капитан 1-го ранга Russian: [[Captain 1st rank|Kapitan 1-go ranga]]	Russian: Капитан 2-го ранга Russian: [[Captain 2nd rank|Kapitan 2-go ranga]]	Russian: Капитан 3-го ранга Russian: [[Captain 3rd rank|Kapitan 3-go ranga]]	Russian: Капитан-лейтенант Russian: [[Captain lieutenant|Kapitan-leytenant]]	Russian: Старший лейтенант Russian: [[Senior lieutenant|Starshey leytenant]]	Russian: Лейтенант Russian: [[Lieutenant|Leytenant]]	Russian: Младший лейтенант Russian: [[Junior lieutenant|Mladshiy leytenant]]	Russian: Курсант Russian: [[Cadet#Russia|Kursant]]
				Russian: Генера́л-полко́вник Russian: [[Colonel general#Russia|Generál-polkóvnik]]	Russian: Генера́л-лейтена́нт Russian: [[Lieutenant general|Generál-leytenánt]]	Russian: Генера́л-майо́р Russian: [[Major general#Russia|Generál-mayór]]	Russian: Полко́вник Russian: [[Colonel (Eastern Europe)|Polkóvnik]]	Russian: Подполко́вник Russian: [[Lieutenant colonel (Eastern Europe)|Podpolkóvnik]]	Russian: Майо́р Russian: [[Major (rank)|Majór]]	Russian: Kапита́н Russian: [[Kapitan (rank)#Russia|Kapitán]]	Russian: Старший лейтена́нт Russian: [[Senior lieutenant#Russia|Stárshiy leytenánt]]	Russian: Лейтенант Russian: [[Lieutenant#Russia|Leytenant]]	Russian: Mла́дший лейтена́нт Russian: [[Junior lieutenant#Russia|Mládshiy leytenánt]]	Russian: Курсант Russian: [[Cadet#Russia|Kursant]]
US equivalent	Fleet admiral	Admiral		Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Rear admiral (lower half)	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)	Ensign	Midshipman	Officer Candidate

See also

• History of Russian military ranks
• Ranks and insignia of the Imperial Russian Armed Forces
• Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1918–1935)
• Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1935–1940)
• Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1940–1943)
• Military ranks of the Soviet Union (1943–1955)
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian Federation´s armed forces 1994–2010

Bibliography

• Book: Barker . A. J. . Soviet Army Uniforms & Insignia 1945-1975 . 1976 . Arms & Armour . London . 0-85368-390-5.
• Book: Soper . Karl Wheeler . Zickel . Raymond E. . Soviet Union: a country study . Area Handbook . 1991 . Library of Congress . Washington, D.C. . 90025756 . 695–753 . 2nd . 28 October 2021 . Armed Forces and Defence Organization.

Notes and References

1. Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 3th edition 1982, order number: 576 973 7, licence number: 433 130/182/82, volume IV, page 128-129 "Rank insignia of the Soviet Navy"