Army ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation

The independent Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

inherited the ranks of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, although the insignia and uniform

Uniform

A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...

were altered slightly. The following is a table ranks of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

translation is given first, followed by Russian

Russian language

Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...

version, then by English transliteration.

Russian armed forces

Armed forces

The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...

have two styles of ranks - troop ranks (army style ranks) and deck ranks (navy style ranks). The army and air force use troop ranks. The following table of Ranks is based on those of the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation eliminated the descriptor "of Aviation" following ranks, however, that descriptor is still in use and in 2015 will be used by the revived Army Aviation Force. The rank of a serviceman of a "Guards" unit or formation may be followed by the word “Guards.” The rank of a citizen of the legal, medical or veterinary professions shall be followed by the words “of Justice,” “of the Medical service,” or “of the Veterinary service,” to their respective ranks. The rank of a citizen having reserve or retired status shall be followed by the words “Reserve” or “Retired,” respectively.

Table of Ranks

Category	Troop ranks	NATO equivalent Ranks and insignia of NATO Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.The rank scale is used for specifying posts within NATO.-Definitions:...
Supreme Officers or General Officers	Marshal of the Russian Federation Marshal of the Russian Federation Marshal of the Russian Federation is the highest military rank of Russia, created in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It ranks immediately above General of the Army and Admiral of the Fleet , and is considered the successor to the Soviet-era rank of Marshal of the Soviet... ¹ (Ма́ршал Росси́йской Федера́ции) (Márshal Rossíyskoy Federátsii)	OF-10 (Honorary)
	General of the Army (генера́л а́рмии) (Generál Ármii)	OF-9
	Colonel General Colonel General Colonel General is a senior rank of General. North Korea and Russia are two countries which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories... (генера́л-полко́вник) (Generál-Polkóvnik)	OF-8
	Lieutenant General Lieutenant General Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General.... (генера́л-лейтена́нт) (Generál-Leytenánt)	OF-7
	Major General Major General Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general... (генера́л-майо́р) (Generál-Mayór)	OF-6
Senior Officers or Field Grade Officers	Colonel Polkovnik Polkovnik is often a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a colonel in English-speaking states. However, in the Ukraine, polkovnyk was an administrative rank similar to a governor... (полко́вник) (Polkóvnik)	OF-5
	Lieutenant Colonel Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik is a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in English-speaking states. Usually this word is translated as lieutenant colonel, however the transliteration is also in common usage, for the sake of the historical context.The exact name of this rank... (подполко́вник) (Podpolkóvnik)	OF-4
	Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... (майо́р) (Mayór)	OF-3
Junior Officers or Company Grade Officers	Captain (капита́н) (Kapitán)	OF-2
	Senior Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... (ста́рший лейтена́нт) (Stárshiy Leytenánt)	OF-2
	Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... (лейтена́нт) (Leytenánt)	OF-1
	Junior Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... (мла́дший лейтена́нт) (Mládshiy Leytenánt)	OF-1
Under-Officers or Master non-commissioned officers	Senior Praporshchik Praporshchik Praporshchik is a rank in the Russian military.-Imperial Russia:Praporshchik was originally a name of a junior commissioned officer rank in the military of the Russian Empire equivalent to ensign... / Senior Warrant Officer Warrant Officer A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first... (ста́рший пра́порщик) (Stárshiy Práporshchik)	WO-2 / OR-9
Under-Officers or Master non-commissioned officers	Praporshchik Praporshchik Praporshchik is a rank in the Russian military.-Imperial Russia:Praporshchik was originally a name of a junior commissioned officer rank in the military of the Russian Empire equivalent to ensign... / Warrant Officer Warrant Officer A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first... (пра́порщик) (Práporshchik)	WO-1 / OR-8
Sergeants and Petty Officers	Starshina / Master-Sergeant Starshina Starshina, or Starshyna , initially was a Cossacks officership, but in Soviet times was used as the top non-commissioned officer.Among Cossacks and in Ukraine, starshina was a collective noun for categories of officership or a military elite: junior starshina , general starshina , military... (старшина́) (Starshiná)	OR-7
	Senior Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... (ста́рший сержа́нт) (Stárshiy Serzhánt)	OR-6
	Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... (сержа́нт) (Serzhánt)	OR-5
	Junior Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... (мла́дший сержа́нт) (Mládshiy Serzhánt)	OR-4
Soldiers, seamen, airmen	Efreitor Gefreiter Gefreiter is the German, Swiss and Austrian equivalent for the military rank Private . Gefreiter was the lowest rank to which an ordinary soldier could be promoted. As a military rank it has existed since at least the 16th century... (ефре́йтор) (Yefréytor)	OR-3
Soldiers, seamen, airmen	Private Private (rank) A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career... (рядово́й) (Ryadovóy)	OR-2 / OR-1

Table of Ranks

See also

External links