• During the Soviet Union, the Red Army defeated the Kaiser’s troops on 23 February 1918 near Narva and Pskov. After that year, the Red Army celebrated its professional holiday every year on 23 February. The Red Army was awarded on 23 January 1918, but the authorities failed to mark their first anniversary and postponed it until next month.
• The broadcloth helmet called budenovka was the main symbol of the Red Army. It was named after commander Semyon Bodyonny. These helmets became a part of the army’s uniform in 1918. Another theory tells that budenovkas were first designed for WWI. The soldiers wore them marching through the streets of Berlin and Istanbul.

• Some of the regiments in the Red Army once wore a swastika in their uniform. The Red Army used the ancient Aryan symbol of swastika until 1920. It was an element of the shoulder sleeve of units formed of Kalmyk who were Buddhists.
• During the civil war, the Red Army almost ran out of weapons and uniforms. The military honours and awards were not good either. Before the awards and honours, the soldiers and officers received watches, boots, saddles, and tunics for their bravery.
• The Red Army did not have officers until 1943. Instead of officers, the Red Army has commanders who were distinguished by their collar insignia and service straps. The officer ranks came after the momentous victory in the battle of Stalingrad.
• The Red Army has combat camels in its ranks. They were first deployed with the 28^th Reserve Army near Astrakhan in the summer of 1942. More than 3000 camels transported goods and artillery from the banks of the Volga River to Berlin. Legends say that when Grasshopper, the camel lead to the Reichstag, it spat on the building.

• The Red Army was the biggest in early 1945 with 11,365,000 soldiers. The weakened postwar Soviet economy could not maintain such a big army, and the number was too high during the peacetime. Three years later, the size reduced down to 2,874,000 soldiers in 1948. The young men moved back home and helped in rebuilding the country.
• The Red Army switched its name to the Soviet Army in 1946. Stalin believed that the word ‘Soviet” would help rally the nation in their choice of socialist path for their country’s development.
• During the Afgan war, The Soviet Army faced the longest siege in its history. This war became known as the Rukha Standoff. The army held positioned on a small plateau at an abandoned village of Rukha in the Panjshit Gorge for three years and ten months. During this time, the Soviet soldiers face rifle and mortar fire day and night from 13,000 militants. When the siege ended, and the regiment was withdrawn from the Panjshir Gorge in 2988, the army lost 386 men.

The Soviet Military ranking scheme is relatively complex compared to most Western systems for designation of rank. The basis for most Western defence forces is built around a “tri-service” policy – meaning that the defence force for the country is defined in terms of three discrete units – Army, Air Force and Navy. In the US these three seperate services are co-ordinated by the Joint Chief of Staffs to form a unified fighting force (which is headed by the President acting as the Commander-in-Chief). The Soviet armed forces are unique in that it is actually compromised of five separate arms of service:

• Strategic Rocket Force
• Ground Forces
• Air Force
• Air Defence Force
• Naval Force

It should be noted that usually when one refers to the ‘Soviet Army’, this term embraces all service arms except for the Navy. As such the range of rank boards and epaulettes is more comprehensive than for Western Armies. What also compounds the issue is that there were three main different kind of uniforms for the officers – Parade dress, Everyday dress and Field dress.

Parade dress was worn by officers (out of formation) when they recieved their promotion to a new rank or when sent to a new post. It is also worn during the presentation of government awards or during parade when the officer is not marching himself. There is also an additional subclass of Parade dress being Parade-Restday. This uniform was worn during major public holidays, official receptions as well as off duty.

Everyday dress (in formation) was worn during combat training and lessons as well as during exercies, and when on general duty. When out of formation it was used for staff duties divisional level or above as well as off duty.

Field dress was intended to be worn during exercies, maneuvers, combat duties and while undergoing lessons or exercies in training centers.

Because of the three different kinds of uniforms officers had three different styles of rank boards to complement the appropriate uniform. Examples are listed below:

In certain cases for an officer the service he is in forms part of his rank. For example, the depicted epaulette is for a Lieutenant General of Medical Service. For a complete listing of Service Sleeve Patches click here.

“Officer personnel in the ranks of major general through chief marshal of aviation, artillery, engineer troops, and signal troops and major general through colonel general in tank troops carry the designation of the branch as part of their rank; for example, chief marshal of aviation, marshal of armored troops, colonel general of tanks troops (who, upon promotion, would become a marshal of armored troops), lieutenant general of signal troops, and major general of engineer troops. The same criteria apply to technical troops (chemical, railroad, road, motor transport, and units of military topographic service). There is, however, no chief marshal or marshal rank for these troops; for example, colonel general of technical troops.

Likewise, generals and officers of special services (intendance (quatermaster), administrative, medical, veterinary, and justice) use the special service designation. These special services have no marshals or chief marshals. So, one refers to a colonel general of intendance service, a colonel of medical service, a major of veterinary service, and a junior lieutenant of justice. There are, however, no general officers in the administrative service and no colonel generals of veterinary service.

Special rank designations also apply to engineer officer ranks of all branches of the armed forces. Officers who complete studies at a higher engineer officer school or a military engineering academy earn the title of engineer, which is combined with the rank; for example, lieutenant-engineer, colonel-engineer, or colonel general-engineer. In the navy, the equivilant ranks would be lieutenant-engineer, captain 2nd rank-engineer, and admiral-engineer. Officers with a secondary military technical education use the title technical service combined with the rank; for example, junior lieutenant of technical service, captain of technical service, and colonel of technical service. There are no general officers of technical service.” – US Army FM 100-2-3, 1991.

Note also that the background colour denotes branch of service as depicted below:

Not all troops fell under the direct command of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Some troops were designated as being under the command of the Interior Ministry (these troops were responsible for the protection of Party members), KGB (internal security) or as Border Troops (responsible for guarding all Soviet borders). This was noted by lettering (in Cyrillic) on their rank boards.

Those undergoing training to become an officer were called ‘Kursant’. Their rank boards were marked with a ‘K’ to denote there status as officer trainees. The following ranks of Kursant existed: Kursant Master Sergeat Kursant Senior Sergeant Kursant Seargent Kursant Junior Sergeant Kursant Corpral It was also possible that when entering the army recruits would be selected for direct officer entry, in which case while undergoing their training they would also become Kursants.

Sources

• Headquaters, Department of the Army. FM 100-2-3 – The Soviet Army: Troops, Organization and Equipment. Washington D.C.: Department of the Army, June 1991.
• USSR Ministry of Defence. Regulations on Wearing Military Uniforms. Moscow: Military Publishing House, 1989.
• Caza, S. M. Soviet Military Uniforms: A Translation of the 1988 Soviet Regulations. Ontario: Mamayev Hill Enterprises, 1995.
• Schofield, C. Inside the Soviet Military. New York: Abbeville Press, 1991. ISBN: 1 55859 160 5.

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Description:

The original AK was also known as the AK-47. It was a gas-operated, selective-fire weapon. Like all 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles, it fired the Soviet 7.62 x 39-mm M1943 round and used a standard 30-round curved box magazine. The AK came in two versions: one with a fixed wooden stock, and another, the AKS, with a folding metal stock issued primarily to parachutist and armor troops. Except for the differences in the stock and the lack of a tool kit with the AKS, the two version were identical. The early AKs had no bayonet, but the version with the fixed wooden stock later mounted a detachable knife bayonet.

The improved model, known as the AKM, is easier to produce and operate. It weighs about one kilogram less than the AK. The reduced weight results from using thinner, stamped sheetmetal parts rather than machined, forged steel; laminated wood rather than solid wood in the handguard, forearm, pistol grip, and buttstock; and new lightweight aluminium and plastic magazines. Other improvements include a straighter stock for better control; an improved gas cylinder; a rate-of-fire control alongside the trigger; a rear sight graduated to 1,000 meters rather than 800 meters; and a greatly improved, detachable bayonet.

The AKM also has a folding-stock version, designated AKMS, intended for use by riflemen in armored infantry combat vechicles such as the BMP. Except for its T-shaped, stamped-metal, folding buttstock, the AKMS is identical to the AKM. The folding-stock model can reduce its length from 868 to 699 millimeters.

Capabilities:

All 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles fire in either semiautomatic or automatic mode and have an effective range of about 300 meters. At full cyclic rate, they can fire about 600 rounds per minute (upto 640 rounds per minute for the AKM), with a practical rate of about 100 rounds per minute fully automatic or 40 rounds per minute semiautomatic. Both the AK and AKM can mount a grenade launcher. Both can have passive image intensifier night sights. Both can function normally after total immersion in mud and water. The fully chromed barrel ensures effective operation even at very low temperatures. The muzzle of either weapon fits into the swiveling firing points of the BMP. Thus, the infantryman can fire the weapon while the vechicle is moving.

Limitations:

The most serious drawback to the AK and AKM is the low muzzle velocity (710 meters per second) of the relatively heavy 7.62-mm round. This results in a looping trajectory that requires a clumsy adjustment for accuracy at ranges beyond 300 meters. The barrel overheats quickly when the weapon fires for extended periods, making the weapon hard to handle and occasionally causing a round to explode prematurely in the chamber. The exposed gas cylinder is easily dented, sometimes causing the weapon to malfunction.

Remarks:

Although they designed it in 1947 and thus referred to it as the AK-47, the Soviets actually adopted the AK in 1949. The AK entered service in 1951. It was the basic individual infantry weapon of the Soviet Army until the introduction of the AKM. The Soviets developed the AKM in 1959. It entered service in 1961. All 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assualt rifles are very dependable weapons. They produce a high volume of fire and are simple to maintain. However, the new 5.45-mm assault rife AK-74 is replacing the 7.62-mm weapons.

Books:

Links:

Sources:

• Headquaters, Department of the Army. FM 100-2-3 – The Soviet Army: Troops, Organization and Equipment. Washington D.C.: Department of the Army, June 1991.
• Nedelin, A. Kalashnikov Arms. Moscow: Military Parade, 1997.
• Jane’s Information Group Limited (edited by Gander, T. J. and Hogg, I. V.). Jane’s Infantry Weapons: 1995-96. London: Biddles, 1995. ISBN: 0 7106 1241 9.

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Description:

The Sniper Rifle Dragunov (SVD) is a gas-operated, semiautomatic weapon. It fires the Soviet 7.62 x 54R cartridge and uses a detachable 10-round box magazine. Its overall length is 1,225 millimeters, and its empty weight is 4.3 kilograms. (Its loaded weight with bayonet is 4.78 kilograms.) Its bolt mechanism and gas recovery system are similar to those of the AK and AKM; but, because of the difference in cartridges used, parts are not interchangable with the assualt rifles. The most distinguishing feature of the SVD are the open buttstock, which has a cheek pad for ease in sighting, and telescopic sight mounter over the receiver. It has a combination flash supressor/compensator. It may mount the standard AKM bayonet. The Soviets issue it with four magazines, a cleaning kit, and an extra battery and lamp for the telescopic sight.

Capabilities:

The SVD fires approximately 30 rounds per minute in the semiautomatic mode. It has a maximum effective range of 1,300 meters with the 4-power telescope or 800 meters without it. The PSO-1 optical sight has a 6-degree field of view. It contains an integral, infrared detection aid and an illuminated rangefinder recticle. Thus, the SVD is effective in daylight against point targets or at night against active infrared emitters, such as night driving aids and weapon sights. It can fire light ball, heavy ball, steel core, tracer and anti-tank incendiary ammunition.

Limitations:

The SVD can fire only light and heavy ball-type ammunition with accuracy. Even though it is equiped with a bayonet, the SVD is not an ideal weapon for close combat because it can fire only in the semiautomatic mode. Its weight and length also limit its maneuverability. The 7.62 x 54-mm rimmed cartridge of the SVD is not interchangable with the 7.62 x 39-mm rimless round of the AKM.

Remarks:

The Soviets developed the SVD in 1965. It entered service in 1967 and is the standard Soviet sniper weapon. One squad in each motorized rifle platoon has an SVD; selected riflemen receive regular, centralized sniper training on it. Largely due to its open buttstock, the SVD is lighter than older sniper rifles.

Books:

Additional Documents:

Links:

Sources:

• Headquaters, Department of the Army. FM 100-2-3 – The Soviet Army: Troops, Organization and Equipment. Washington D.C.: Department of the Army, June 1991.
• Nedelin, A. Kalashnikov Arms. Moscow: Military Parade, 1997.
• Jane’s Information Group Limited (edited by Gander, T. J. and Hogg, I. V.). Jane’s Infantry Weapons: 1995-96. London: Biddles, 1995. ISBN: 0 7106 1241 9.

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Description:

The original AK was also known as the AK-47. It was a gas-operated, selective-fire weapon. Like all 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles, it fired the Soviet 7.62 x 39-mm M1943 round and used a standard 30-round curved box magazine. The AK came in two versions: one with a fixed wooden stock, and another, the AKS, with a folding metal stock issued primarily to parachutist and armor troops. Except for the differences in the stock and the lack of a tool kit with the AKS, the two version were identical. The early AKs had no bayonet, but the version with the fixed wooden stock later mounted a detachable knife bayonet.

The improved model, known as the AKM, is easier to produce and operate. It weighs about one kilogram less than the AK. The reduced weight results from using thinner, stamped sheetmetal parts rather than machined, forged steel; laminated wood rather than solid wood in the handguard, forearm, pistol grip, and buttstock; and new lightweight aluminum and plastic magazines. Other improvements include a straighter stock for better control; an improved gas cylinder; a rate-of-fire control alongside the trigger; a rear sight graduated to 1,000 meters rather than 800 meters; and a greatly improved, detachable bayonet.

The AKM also has a folding-stock version, designated AKMS, intended for use by riflemen in armored infantry combat vechicles such as the BMP. Except for its T-shaped, stamped-metal, folding buttstock, the AKMS is identical to the AKM. The folding-stock model can reduce its length from 868 to 699 millimeters.

Capabilities:

All 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles fire in either semiautomatic or automatic mode and have an effective range of about 300 meters. At full cyclic rate, they can fire about 600 rounds per minute (upto 640 rounds per minute for the AKM), with a practical rate of about 100 rounds per minute fully automatic or 40 rounds per minute semiautomatic. Both the AK and AKM can mount a grenade launcher. Both can have passive image intensifier night sights. Both can function normally after total immersion in mud and water. The fully chromed barrel ensures effective operation even at very low temperatures. The muzzle of either weapon fits into the swiveling firing points of the BMP. Thus, the infantryman can fire the weapon while the vechicle is moving.

Limitations:

The most serious drawback to the AK and AKM is the low muzzle velocity (710 meters per second) of the relatively heavy 7.62-mm round. This results in a looping trajectory that requires a clumsy adjustment for accuracy at ranges beyond 300 meters. The barrel overheats quickly when the weapon fires for extended periods, making the weapon hard to handle and occasionally causing a round to explode prematurely in the chamber. The exposed gas cylinder is easily dented, sometimes causing the weapon to malfunction.

Remarks:

Although they designed it in 1947 and thus referred to it as the AK-47, the Soviets actually adopted the AK in 1949. The AK entered service in 1951. It was the basic individual infantry weapon of the Soviet Army until the introduction of the AKM. The Soviets developed the AKM in 1959. It entered service in 1961. All 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assualt rifles are very dependable weapons. They produce a high volume of fire and are simple to maintain. However, the new 5.45-mm assault rife AK-74 is replacing the 7.62-mm weapons.

The AKMS is basically a version of the AKM intended for airborne troops. The AKMS is identical to the AKM except for the folding stock which results in a difference from the AKM in only weight and length. The mechanical design for the moving parts is identical. The data below is taken from the Janes entry for the AKM except the data for the weight and the for the length has been removed.

Books:

Links:

Sources:

• Headquaters, Department of the Army. FM 100-2-3 – The Soviet Army: Troops, Organization and Equipment. Washington D.C.: Department of the Army, June 1991.
• Nedelin, A. Kalashnikov Arms. Moscow: Military Parade, 1997.
• Jane’s Information Group Limited (edited by Gander, T. J. and Hogg, I. V.). Jane’s Infantry Weapons: 1995-96. London: Biddles, 1995. ISBN: 0 7106 1241 9.

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Description:

The 7.62-mm general-purpose machine gun Pulemyot Kalashnikov (PK) is a gas-operated, belt-fed, sutained-fire weapon. The Soviets based its design on the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Notable differences from the assualt rifle are the gas cylinder below the barrel and the hollow-frame stock resembling that of the SVD sniper rifle. The PKM fires 7.62 x 54R rimmed cartridges using a metal nondisintergrating belt.

The basic PK model is bipod-mounted. It is fed by a 100-round belt carried in a box fastened to the right side of the receiver. It weighs 9 kilograms and is 1,161 millimeters long. It is constructed partly of stamped metal and partly of forged steel.

The PKS is a PK mounted on a lightweight (4.75-kg) tripod. It uses either a 200- or 250-round belt. The belt feeds from a box placed to the right of the weapon.

The PKT is the tank-mounted version of the PK. Late-model Soviet tanks, turreted APCs and ICVs, and amphibious scout cars mount it as a coaxial machine gun. It has a longer and heavier barrel than the PK. It also lacks the PK’s stock, sights, bipod, and trigger mechanism. The PKT has a solenoid at the rear for remote-controlled firing, although it also has an emergency manual trigger.

The PKB is a variant of the PKT. It is intended for use as a pintle-mounted gun on APCs and SP guns. It differs from the PKT by having a butterfly trigger rather than a solenoid trigger and by having double space grips and front and rear sights. There may also be a PKMB, derived from the PKM rather than from the PK.

The PKM is an improved, lighter version (8.4 kilograms) of the PK, using stamped metal components instead of machined metal. Joinable 25-round sections of nondisintergrating metalic belts feed the bipod-mounted PKM. An assault magazine attached to the rails under the reciever can cary 100 cartridges belted in this way. Either 200- or 250-round belt boxes can also feed the PKM.

The tripod-mounted PKMS is a lightweight version of the PKS. It has the same characteristics as the PKM, from which it is derived.

Capabilities:

The effective range of the PK-series machine guns is 1,000 meters. The have a cyclic rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute and a practical rate of fire of 250 round per minute. Ammunition types include the following: ball, ball-tracer, armor-piercing incendiary, armor-piercing incendiary-tracer, and incendiary-ranging.

The PKM is currently organic to the machine gun platoon of a BMP-equipped MRC and to the machine gun/antitank platoon of a BTR-equipped MRC. it normally fires from its bipod mount but can also fit in vechicle firing ports.

The PKS and PKMS are also infantry weapons. Used as heavy machine guns, they provide long-rage area fire. Their tripod provides a stable mount for long-range ground fire. The tripod opens quickly to elevate the gun for antiaircraft fire. The machine gun has an effective range of 600 meters against slow-moving aircraft.

The PKT serves as a coaxial machine gun on most modern Soviet tanks, ICVs, and APCs. The PKB (PKBM) serves as a pintle-mounted gun on older armored vechilces such as the BRDM, BTR-50 and BTR-60.

Limitations:

The nondisintergrating belt can get in the way if the gunner must move the weapon during firing. Barrel changing is not as fast and effective as in the more recent Western machine guns. Althought designed by Kalasknikov, the weapon’s moving parts are not interchangable with those of the AK-series weapons.

Remarks:

The Soviets introduced the basic PK machine gun in 1964. They followed it with the PKS, PKT, PKB (1968), PKM (1971), and PKMS. Compared to the US M-60, the PK-series machine guns are easier to handle during firing, easier to care for, and lighter. They use a more powerful cartridge and have a slightly shorter effective range (1,000 meters versus 1,100 meters for the M-60). The PK and PKM once served as squad machine guns in BMP-equipped motorized rifle squads, but now the 5.45-mm light machine gun RPK-74 has that function. The vechicle-mounted PKT continues to be standard equipment on many armored fighting vechicles.

This entry covers the PK machine gun. Adjustments have to be made for other models.

Books:

Links:

Sources:

• Headquaters, Department of the Army. FM 100-2-3 – The Soviet Army: Troops, Organization and Equipment. Washington D.C.: Department of the Army, June 1991.
• Nedelin, A. Kalashnikov Arms. Moscow: Military Parade, 1997.
• Jane’s Information Group Limited (edited by Gander, T. J. and Hogg, I. V.). Jane’s Infantry Weapons: 1995-96. London: Biddles, 1995. ISBN: 0 7106 1241 9.