Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian armed forces until 1917

The Imperial Russian Army, short IRA (Russian: Ру́сская импера́торская а́рмия, РИА), used particular ranks and rank insignia, oriented to German speaking and Anglophone armed forces. However, the entire ranking system was closely connected to the Russian military historical traditions as well. The successor armed forces, the Red Army, abolished the historically crown ranks and the rank insignia in 1917. Military units engaged in the so-called White movement and in the champagnes of the Russian Civil War used these ranks until the year 1923.

Ranks and rank designation

General officers

Desigantion Commander in chief & higher commanders
Rank dersignation
shoulder strap
Rank insignia General Field Marshal General of the branch Lieutenant general Major general
native desigantion (Генерал-фельдмаршал)
(General-feldmarschal)		 (Генерал рода войск)
(General roda woisk)		 (Генера́л-лейтена́нт)
(General-leitenant) 		(Генера́л-майо́р)
(General-maior)
NATO rank OF-10 OF-8 OF-7 OR-6
Remark
The abbreviation "OF" stands for de: "Offizier / en: officer / fr: officier / ru: офицер".

Officers

Desigantion Field and Junior grade officers
Rank insignia
shoulder strap
Rank insignia Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major
(Abolished 1884) 		Captain Staff Captain Lieutenant Second Lieuteannt Ensign
Native desigantion Полковник Подполко́вник Майо́р Капитан Штабс-капитан Пору́чик Подпору́чик Пра́порщик
Cavalry Stabsrittmeister Kornet
Cossacks ranks Cossack Colonel Lieutenant Colonel
(Abolished 1884)
 Podesault Sotnik Chorunschi
Rank group Stab-ofizer Ober-ofizer
NATO rank OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1

Non-commissioned officers & enlisted men

Desigantion Non-commissioned officers, Unterführer & enlisted men (1. Newski Infantery regiment)
Rank insignia
shoulder strap
Rank insignia Acting praporshtchik
(1907-1917)		 Podpraporshchik
(1855-1917)		 Feldwebel Unterfeldwebel Unteroffizier Gefreiter Privateand equivalents
native desigantion (Зауряд-прапорщик) (Подпрапощик) (Фельдфебель) (Старший унтер-офицер,
starschi unter-ofizer)		 (Младший унтер-офицер,
mladschi unter-ofizer)		 (Ефрейтор) (Рядовой)
Rank group Unter-ofizer Soldat
NATO rank OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-4 OR-2 OR-1

Other regiments

Examples pertaining to shoulder straps/ cadet corpus of the Imperial Army are illustrated below.

Ranks and rank insignia, Navy

The Imperial Russian Navy (Russian: Российский императорский флот), also regular Russian navy of the Russian Empire, has been established en of the 17th century, under regency of Tsar Peter I. und by personal leadership of Franz Lefort. It existed until the October Revolution in the year 1917.[1] In this connection, in European naval forces at that time common usual ranks and rank insignia have been treated.

Flag officers

Bezeichnung Commander in chief & higher flag officers
Rank insignia
shoulder strap & cuff title
Rank insignia Generaladmiral Admiral Vizeadmiral Konteradmiral
native desigantion (General-admiral) (Admiral) (Wize-admiral) (Kontr-admiral)
NATO rank OF-10 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6

Officers

Bezeichnung Commanders at sea (afloat units)/ units & officers
70px
Rank insignia
shoulder strap
Rank insignia Captain 1st Rank Fregattenkapitän Oberleutnant
zur See 		Lieutenant Midshipman
native desigantion (Kapitan perwovo ranga) (Kapitan vtorowo ranga) (Starshy leitenant) (Leitenant) (Michman) (1909-1917)(1884-1909)
Rank group Stab-ofizer Ober-ofizer
NATO rank OF-5 OF-4 OF-1

Non-commissioned officers & enlisted men

Bezeichnung Petty officers, NCOs & enlisted men
Rank insignia
shoulder strap
Rank insignia Stabsbootsmann Gardemarin
Kondukteur
Oberfeldscher		 Bootsmann Bootsmannsmaat Quartiermeister Obermatrose
(Matrosengefreiter) 		Matrose
native desigantion (Starschi bozman) (Gardmarin, Konduktor
Starschi feldscher)		 (Bozman) (Bozmanmat) (Kwartirmeister) (Matros perwoi stati) (Matros wtoroi stati)
NATO rank OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-4 OR-2 OR-1

See also

Regerences

  1. ↑ Erich Donnert: Peter the Great (de: Peter der Große), Koehler & Amelang, Leipzig, page. 130