Ranks and insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 1943–1955
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Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces in the period 1943–1955 were characterised by a number of changes in the armed forces of the Soviet Union, including the reintroduction of rank insignia badges and the adoption of a number of higher ranks.
Changes[]
In conjunction with the permanent increase of the manpower strength of the Soviet armed forces, the service branches and arms were formed by orders of the People' Commissariat of Defence, consisting of artillery, air force, air defence forces, signals corps, corps of engineers and the armoured corps. Major combat support units up to command level were established. This process was characterized by a need for well qualified command staff, in a suitable rank structure. The Soviet state – and party administration – responded to these challenges by the introduction of additional higher ranks, as well as by reintroducing the traditional Russian rank insignia.
A new rank group at OF-9 level (equivalent to the general of the branch in the Wehrmacht and the Imperial Russian Army) was introduced, named marshal of the branch or chief marshal of the branch.
In January 1943 the ranks of marshal of the air force, marshal of the artillery and marshal of the armoured corps came into existence.[1] In October 1943 it was followed by the additional ranks marshal of the communication troops, and marshal of the engineer troops, and the equivalent chief marshal of the branch ranks were added.[2]
Generalissimus of the Soviet Union[]
The highest rank of generalissimus of the Soviet Union (Russian: Генерали́ссимус Сове́тского Сою́за) was created in October 1943, as an individual award to Stalin, the head of state and party chief, and functioned as supreme commander on all Soviet armed forces. Promotion to this rank was limited explicitly to wartime. The instruction was conveyed by an order to the front commanders-in-chief on 26 June 1945,[3] however, Stalin refused to officially implement the rank.
Ranks and distinction insignia for the land forces and air force[]
The introduction of new distinction insignia to the officer corps of the Red Army came by order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on 6 January 1943.[4][5] Selected were two versions of shoulder straps or epaulettes, one for everyday uniforms and the second for field use (breadth 6 cm, length 14 to 16 cm, depending on body size). On 15 January 1943 the introduction of new uniforms was decided.[6]
Corps colours[]
Corps colours, agreed and created in 1935, remained in use, but minor changes took place. The padding of the newly introduced shoulder straps were made from wool cloth, designed in branch of service colours with piping. Command staff wore silver or gold stars and characteristic metallic branch badges.
- Corps colours—enlisted men and non-commissioned officers
The shoulder board padding indicated the appropriate corps colour of service branch, corps or special appointment, with coloured border piping.
- Infantry (generic motorised rifles or motorised infantry) – padding raspberry, piping black
- Cavalry – сobalt blue with black piping
- Aviation troops and air force – sky blue
- Artillery & armoured corps – black with red piping
- Medical troops, veterinarian service – dark green with red piping
- Technical troops – black with black piping
- Corps colours—officers up to colonel
- Cavalry – сobalt blue
- Army generic infantry, motorised rifles and logistics – raspberry
- Artillery, armoured corps, medical troops and veterinarian service – red
- Aviation troops and air force – sky blue
- Technical troops – black
- Corps colours—officers above colonel
- Army generic infantry, motorised rifles and logistics – deep red ("general's red")
- Aviation troops and air force – sky blue
- All other uses – raspberry
- Any other insignia
Regimental numbers in gold lettering were placed on other ranks' shoulder straps along with the emblem of the armed service, branch, special troop, or appointment. For commanders of battle units or task forces the emblem was gold coloured, for others it was silver.
Enlisted men and non-commissioned officers[]
Shoulder straps to service uniform basic |
Enlisted men and non-commissioned officers | |||||
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Infantry
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![]() Cavalry
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![]() Air Force
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![]() Artillery
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![]() Armoured Troops
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![]() Motor-Car Units
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![]() Medical Corps
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![]() Veterinary Corps
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![]() Engineer Troops
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![]() Signal Troops
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![]() Road Troops
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![]() Railway Troops,
Military Communications (VOSO) |
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![]() Pontoon Corps
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![]() Sapper Troops
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![]() Survey Troops
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![]() Chemical Troops
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![]() Electrical Troops
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Rank designation | Private | Corporal | Junior sergeant |
Sergeant | Senior sergeant |
Starshina |
(Рядовой) | (Ефрейтор) | (Младший сержант) |
(Сержант) | (Старш��й сержант) |
(Старшина) | |
NATO-equivalent | OR-1 | OR-4 | OR-5 | OR-6 | OR-7 | OR-8 |
Officer up to сommander-in-chief[]
Shoulder straps to service uniform basic |
Officers & commanding staff | Generals & commanders in chief | |||||||||
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Infantry | ![]() |
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![]() Cavalry |
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![]() Air Force |
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![]() Air Force Engineers |
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![]() Artillery |
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![]() Artillery Engineers |
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![]() Armoured Troops |
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![]() Armoured Troops Engineers |
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![]() Motor-Car Units |
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![]() Motor-Car Units Engineers |
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![]() Medical Corps |
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![]() Veterinary Corps |
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![]() Legal Service |
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![]() Quartermaster Corps |
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![]() Engineer Troops |
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![]() Engineer Troops Engineers |
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![]() Signal Troops |
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![]() Signal Troops Engineers |
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![]() Road Troops |
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![]() Road Troops Engineers |
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![]() Railway Troops ![]() Military Communications (VOSO) |
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![]() Railway Troops Engineers ![]() VOSO Engineers |
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![]() Pontoon Corps |
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![]() Pontoon Corps Engineers |
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![]() Sapper Troops |
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![]() Sapper Troops Engineers |
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![]() Survey Troops |
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![]() Survey Troops Engineers |
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![]() Chemical Troops |
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![]() Chemical Troops Engineers |
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![]() Electrical Troops |
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![]() Electrical Troops Engineers |
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Rank designation | Junior lieutenant (Младший лейтенант) |
Lieutenant (Лейтенант) |
Senior lieutenant (Старший лейтенант) |
Captain (Капитан) |
Major (Майор) |
Lieutenant colonel (Подполковник) |
Colonel (Полковник) |
Major general (Генерал-майор) |
Lieutenant general (Генерал-лейтенант) |
Colonel general (Генерал-полковник) | |
Engineers rank designation | Junior Technician Lieutenant (Младший техник-лейтенант) |
Technician Lieutenant (Техник-лейтенант) |
Senior Technician Lieutenant (Старший техник-лейтенант) |
Engineer-Captain (Инженер-капитан) |
Engineer-Major (Инженер-Майор) |
Engineer-Lieutenant colonel (Инженер-Подполковник) |
Engineer-Colonel (Инженер-Полковник) | ||||
NATO-equivalent | OF-1 | OF-2 | OF-3 | OF-4 | OF-5 | OF-6 | OF-7 | OF-8 |
General of the army to generalissimus[]
Designation | Commander-in-chief | Marshal of the branch | Chief marshal of the branch | Marshal, Generalissimus of the Soviet Union | ||||||||
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Shoulder strap to service uniform basic |
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Rank designation | General of The Army |
Marshal of Artillery |
Marshal of Aviation |
Marshal of Armoured Troops |
Marshal of Signal Troops |
Marshal of Engineer Troops |
Chief marshal of Artillery |
Chief marshal of Aviation |
Chief marshal of Armoured Troops |
Chief marshal of Signal Troops |
Chief marshal of Engineer Troops |
Marshal, Generalissimus of the Soviet Union |
Emblem | ![]() |
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NATO-equivalent | OF-9 | OF-9 | OF-9 | OF-10 |
Shoulder straps field uniform[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/The_sign_of_injury_on_the_Soviet_uniforms_4.jpg/120px-The_sign_of_injury_on_the_Soviet_uniforms_4.jpg)
Shoulder straps to field uniforms, standardized to all service ranches, were made of khaki wool cloth. The piping indicated the service branch, matching the corps colour.
- Colours of the rank piping (on shoulder strap)
- Infantry, motorized rifles – raspberry coloured
- Aviation troops and air force – sky blue
- Cavalry – blue
- Artillery and armoured corps – red
- Medical troops, veterinarian service – dark green
- Technical services – black
This specific shoulder strap design was used in the Red Army 1943 until 1946, as well as in the Soviet Army from 1946 to 1955.
Enlisted men and non-commissioned officers (1943–1946)[]
Shoulder straps to field uniform |
Private – and non-commissioned officers ranks | |||||
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Infantry | ![]() |
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![]() Air Force |
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![]() Artillery, ![]() Armoured Troops, ![]() Motor-Car Units |
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![]() Medical Corps and ![]() Veterinary Corps |
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Technical Troops | ![]() |
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Rank designation | Private | Corporal | Junior sergeant | Sergeant | Senior sergeant | Warrant officer |
NATO-equivalent | OR-1 | OR-4 | OR-5 | OR-6 | OR-7 | OR-8 |
Officers up to higher commanders & commander-in-chief (1943–1946)[]
Shoulder straps to field uniform |
Officers and commanders | Higher commanders & commander-in-chief | |||||||||
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Infantry
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Armoured Troops ![]() Motor-Car
Units |
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![]() Air Force ![]() Air Force
Engineers |
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![]() Artillery
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![]() Medical Corps
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![]() Veterinary Corps
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![]() Legal Service
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![]() Quartermaster Corps
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Technical Troops ![]() Engineer Troops ![]() Signal Troops ![]() Road Troops ![]() Railway Troops, Military Communications (VOSO) ![]() Pontoon Corps ![]() Sapper Troops ![]() Survey Troops ![]() Сhemical troops ![]() Electrical Troops. |
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Rank designation | Junior lieutenant (Младший лейтенант) |
Lieutenant (Лейтенант) |
Senior lieutenant (Старший лейтенант) |
Captain (Капитан) |
Major (Майор) |
Lieutenant colonel (Подполковник) |
Colonel (П��лковник) |
Major general (Генерал-майор) |
Lieutenant general (Генерал-лейтенант) |
Colonel general (Генерал-полковник) | |
Engineers rank designation | Junior Technician-Lieutenant (Младший техник-лейтенант) |
Technician-Lieutenant (Техник-лейтенант) |
Senior Technician-Lieutenant (Старший техник-лейтенант) |
Engineer-Captain (Инженер-капитан) |
Engineer-Major (Инженер-Майор) |
Engineer-Lieutenant colonel (Инженер-Подполковник) |
Engineer-Colonel (Инженер-Полковник) | ||||
NATO-equivalent | OF-1 | OF-2 | OF-3 | OF-4 | OF-5 | OF-6 | OF-7 | OF-8 |
General of the army to generalissimus[]
Designation | Commander-in-chief | Marshal of the branch | Chief marshal of the branch | Marshal, Generalissimus of the Soviet Union | ||||||||
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Shoulder strap to field uniform |
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Rank designation | General of the army |
Marshal of artillery |
Marshal of aviation |
Marshal of the armoured troops |
Marshal of the signal troops |
Marshal of the engineer troops |
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 |
Marshal, Generalissimus of the Soviet Union |
NATO-equivalent | OF-9 | OF-9 | OF-9 | OF-10 |
[]
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on 15 February 1943 on "distinction insignia to the Soviet Navy" the introduction of shoulder straps and epaulettes took effect, marking the début of Imperial Russian Navy-style insignia to the Soviet Navy.[7][8] As the navy also had coastal services, ground ranks similar to the Red Army and Air Force were introduced with their respective insignia to be used by the coastal service personnel. These ranks were also used by the navy's medical corps and technical services. Shoulder rank insignia were in dark blue shoulder boards (gold on the dress uniform only for officers).
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Designation | Officers & commanders | Flag officers & commander-in-chief | ||||||||||||
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Shoulder strap to service uniform (Sea Duty) |
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Shoulder strap to service uniform (Sea Duty Engineers) |
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Sleeve insignia on uniform jacket |
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Rank designation | Junior lieutenant | Lieutenant | Senior lieutenant | Captain lieutenant | Captain 3rd rank | Captain 2nd rank | Captain 1st rank | Rear Admiral | Vice Admiral | Admiral | Admiral of the Fleet (1943-1945) |
Admiral of the Fleet (1945-1953) | ||
NATO-equivalent | OF-1 | OF-2 | OF-3 | OF-4 | OF-5 | OF-6 | OF-7 | OF-8 | OF-9 | OF-10 |
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Designation | Junior ratings | Senior ratings | |||||
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Shoulder board to service uniform |
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Shoulder strap to service uniform |
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Rank designation | Seaman | Senior seaman | Petty officer 2nd class | Petty Officer 1st class | Chief petty officer | Michman | |
NATO-equivalent | OR-1 | OR-4 | OR-5 | OR-6 | OR-7 | OR-8 |
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Officers[]
Designation | Officers & commanders | General officers | ||||||||
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Shoulder strap to service uniform (Coastal Services, incl. Naval Infantry and Coastal Defense Artillery) |
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Shoulder strap to service uniform (Coastal Engineers) |
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Shoulder strap to service uniform (Naval Aviation) |
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Shoulder strap to service uniform (Naval Aviation engineers and technical staff) |
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Rank designation | Junior lieutenant (Младший лейтенант) |
Lieutenant (Лейтенант) |
Senior lieutenant (Старший лейтенант) |
Captain (Капитан) |
Major (Майор) |
Lieutenant colonel (Подполковник) |
Colonel (Полковник) |
Major general (Генерал-майор) |
Lieutenant general (Генерал-лейтенант) |
Colonel general (Генерал-полковник) |
Engineers rank designation | Junior Technician Lieutenant (Младший техник-лейтенант) |
Technician Lieutenant (Техник-лейтенант) |
Senior Technician Lieutenant (Старший техник-лейтенант) |
Engineer Captain (Инженер-капитан) |
Engineer Major (Инженер-Майор) |
Engineer-Lieutenant colonel (Инженер-Подполковник) |
Engineer-Colonel (Инженер-Полковник) | |||
NATO-equivalent | OF-1 | OF-2 | OF-3 | OF-4 | OF-5 | OF-6 | OF-7 | OF-8 |
Other ranks[]
Shoulder straps to service uniform basic |
Enlisted men and non-commissioned officers of ground services (Coastal Services and Naval Aviation) | ||||||
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Shoulder board to service uniform (Personnel of coastal services) |
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Shoulder board to service uniform (Personnel of naval aviation) |
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Shoulder strap to service uniform (Personnel of coastal services) |
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Shoulder strap to service uniform (Personnel of naval aviation) |
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Rank designation | Seaman | Senior seaman | Junior Sergeant | Sergeant | Staff Sergeant | Starshina | |
NATO-equivalent | OR-1 | OR-4 | OR-5 | OR-6 | OR-7 | OR-8 |
See also[]
- History of Russian military ranks
- Ranks and insignia of the Russian armed forces until 1917
- Ranks and insignia of the Red Army and Navy 1918–1935, 1935–1940, and 1940–1943
- Ranks and insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 1955–1991
- Ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation's armed forces 1994–2010
References[]
- ^ Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 16 January 1943
- ^ Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 9 October 1943
- ^ Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 26 June 1945
- ^ Указ Президиума Верховного Совета СССР «О введении новых знаков различия для личного состава Красной Армии» от 6 января 1942 года // Ведомости Верховного Совета Союза Советских Социалистических Республик : газета. — 1943. — 10 января (№ 2 (208)). — С. 1 — 2.
- ^ Decreel of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 6 January 1943
- ^ Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 15 January 1943
- ^ Указ Президиума Верховного Совета СССР «О введении новых знаков различия для личного состава Военно-Морского флота СССР» от 15 февраля 1943 года // Ведомости Верховного Совета Союза Советских Социалистических Республик : газета. — 1943. — 19 февраля (№ 7 (213)). — С. 1, 2
- ^ Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 15 February 1943
- Military insignia
- Military ranks of the Soviet Union