Ranks and insignia of the Imperial Russian Armed Forces

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The Imperial Russian Army (Russian: Ру́сская импера́торская а́рмия, РИА) and the Imperial Russian Navy (Russian: Российский императорский флот) used ranks and rank insignia derived from the German model. However, the entire rank system was also closely connected to the Russian military traditions. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, the Red Army abolished the entire Imperial system of ranks and rank insignia, while military units and formations of the opposing White movement retained the Imperial rank system until 1923.

Army ranks and rank designation[]

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

Officers[]

Rank group	General/flag officers										Field/senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Rank code	K-1		K-2		K-3		K-4				K-5		K-6		K-7		K-8	K-9	K-10		K-12		K-13
Epaulettes (?–?)
Shoulder straps (?–?)
Field insignia (1914–1917)
	Генерал-фельдмаршал General-fel'dmarshal		Генерал рода войск General roda voysk		Генерал-лейтенант General-leytenant		Генерал-майор General-mayor				Полковник Polkovnik		Подполковник Podpolkovnik		Майор Mayor (abolished 1884)		Капитан Kapitan	Штабс-капитан Shtabs-kapitan	Поручик Poruchik		Подпоручик Podporuchik		Прапорщик Praporshchik

Non-commissioned officers & enlisted men[]

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers (Russian: Унтер-офицеры, romanized: Unter-ofitsery)					Enlisted (Russian: Рядовые, romanized: Rydovye)
Shoulder boards
Artillery	Зауряд-прапорщик Zauryad-praporshchik	Подпрапорщик Podpraporshchik	Фельдфебель Fel'dfebel'	Старший Фейерверкер Starshiy feyyerverker	Младший Фейерверкер Mladshiy feyyerverker	Бомбардир Bombardyr	Канонир Kanonir
Infantry				Старший унтер-офицер Starshiy unter-ofitser	Младший унтер-офицер Mladshiy unter-ofitser	Ефрейтор Yefreytor	Рядовой Ryadovoy
Cavalry			Вахмистр Vachmistr
Cossacks		Подхорунжий Podkhorunzhiy		Старший урядник Starshyy uryadnyk	Младший урядник Mladshiy uryadnik	Приказный Prikaznyy	Казак Kazak

Other regiments and cadet corps[]

The following shoulder board insignias of the Imperial Army used by specific units and cadet corps are illustrated below:

• 

  Orenburg Neplyuev Cadet Corps
• 

  15th King Nikola I of Montenegro Rifle Regiment
• 

  5th Kargopol Dragoon Regiment
• 

  Oryol Cadet Corps
• 

  Pskov Cadet Corps
• 

  Grand Duke Vladimir Kiev Cadet Corps

Naval ranks and rank insignia[]

Rank, category and designation		Flag officers and general ranks				Staff officers (Russian: Shtabs-ofitsery)				Senior officers (ober-ofitsery)
Class as to Table of Ranks		K1	K2	K3	K4	K6	K7	K8		K9	K10
Epaulette	Maritime service	Generaladmiral (General-admiral)	Admiral	Viceadmiral (Vitse-admiral)	Counter admiral (Kontr-admiral)	Captain 1st rank (Kapitan 1-go ranga)	Captain 2nd rank (Kapitan 2-go ranga)	Captain lieutenant (1907-1911) (Kapitan-leytenant)	Senior lieutenant (after 1909) (Starshi leytenant)	Lieutenant (Leytenant)	Michman
											(after 1909)	(until 1909)
	Shore Establishment (after 1913)	no equivalent	General	Lieutenant general (General-leytenant)	Major general (General-mayor)
Shoulder board	Maritime service	Generaladmiral (General-admiral)	Admiral	Viceadmiral (Vitse-admiral)	Rear admiral (Kontr-admiral)
	Shore establishment (after 1913)	no equivalent	General	Lieutenant general (General-leytenant)	Major general (General-mayor)

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	Unteroffizier (since 1909) Quartermaster (until 1908)	Seaman 1st rank	Seaman 2nd rank
Russian transliteration	(Gardmarin)	(Starshy botsman)	(Konduktor Starshy feldsher)	(Botsman)	(Botsmanmat)	(Unter-ofizer Kwartirmeister)	(Matros pervoi stati)	(Matros vtoroi stati)

Ranks of coastal services[]

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

General officers[]

Designation	Higher commanders
Rank designation epaulettes and shoulder boards
Rank	General of the fleet		Lieutenant general		Major general
Russian transliteration	(Флота генерал) (Flota general)		(Генера́л-лейтена́нт) (General-leitenant)		(Генера́л-майо́р) (General-maior)

Officers[]

Designation	Field and junior grade officers
Rank insignia epaulettes and shoulder boards
Rank	Brigadier (abolished 1798)		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major (abolished 1884)		Captain	Staff captain	Lieutenant	Sub-lieutenant	Ensign
Russian transliteration	Brigadir		Polkovnik		Podpolkovnik		Mayor		Kapitan	Shtabs-kapitan	Poruchik	Podporuchik	Praporshchik
Rank group	Staff officer							Junior officer

Non-commissioned officers & enlisted men[]

Designation	Non-commissioned officers & enlisted men
Rank insignia shoulder strap
Rank	Warrant officer (1855-1917)	Bootsman	Senior under officer	Junior under officer	Sea gefreiter	Sea soldat
Russian translation	(Старший боцман, кондуктор)	(Боцман)	(Старший унтер-офицер, starschy unter-ofizer)	(Младший унтер-офицер, mladschy unter-ofizer)	(Матрос 1-й статьи, Matros 1 statji)	(Матрос 2-й статьи, Matros 2 statji)
Rank group	NCO				Soldier

Sleeve insignia of the Russian Navy from April 16, 1917[]

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By order № 125 of the Navy Ministry of the Russian Provisional Government, from April 16, 1917 was provided:

1. Abolishment of the hitherto used shoulder rank insignia.
2. Abolishment of the (naval) scarf.
3. Deletion of any monogram, or initial letter on weapons and equipment.
4. Paint over of the cockade center on caps with red color, until availability of the peaked cap with new national emblem.

The traditional shoulder rank insignia were replaced by golden sleeve strips for naval officers, admiralty officers, and naval engineers, as well as – after completion of mandatory examinations – praporshchiks and officers of the hydrographical service.

Silver sleeve strips were introduced to officers of the admiralty staff, before completion of mandatory examinations, as well to ship engineers, officials of the naval administration and naval physicians with officer rank or status.

Both cuff insignias were used in uniforms with the executive curl.

As discrimination criteria to specific appointments or assignments additional corps colours on the lower part of sleeve stripes was determinate:

• red = ship engineers;
• raspberry coloured = naval administration;
• dark blue = hydrographical service;
• white = physicians

The table below shows examples of rank insignia of the Russian Navy, to be worn on the lower part of uniform cuffs, as to the order № 125 of the Russian Navy Ministry from April 16, 1917.

Rank group	Admirals			Staff officers		Senior officers
Rank code	K-2	K-3	K-4	K-6	K-7	K-8	K-9	K-10	K-12	K-14
Sleeve insignia
	Адмирал Admiral	Вице-адмирал Vitse-admiral	Контр-адмирал Contre-admiral	Капитан 1-го ранга Kapitan 1-go ranga	Капитан 2-го ранга Kapitan 2-go ranga	Старший лейтенант Starshey leytenant	Лейтенант Leytenant	Мичман Michman	Подпоручик Podporuchik	Прапорщик Praporshchik
US equivalent

See also[]

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

References[]