kgb ranks and insignia

agonal sh?A pr sporcReIease 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R00d400360001-4 SENIOR piping, other ranks have only longitudinal stripes colored according to their It also supervised the deportation to Siberia and Central Asia of groups suspected of disloyalty, including more than one million Volga Germans, Crimean Tatars, Kalmyks, Chechen-Ingush, and other people of the Caucasus. Why would high-ranking officers wear a helmet exhibiting their rank near the enemy? Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000400360001-4 Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. On August 18, 1991 the Chairman of the KGB Vladimir Kryuchkov and 7 other Soviet leaders, the State Committee on the State of Emergency, attempted to overthrow the government of the Soviet Union. Approved For Releas%ORRP~P ?~, j&-F SPg i92646R000400360001-4 B Military rank insignia of the Border troops, Internal forces, KGB (5 C) M Military rank insignia of the Soviet Militsiya (18 C) Media in category "Military rank insignia of the Soviet Union" The following 3 files are in this category, out of 3 total. Biographies of the heads of NKGB, MGB, NKVD, KGB. Military rank is a badge of leadership. Established in 1954, the KGB was the most durable of a series of security agencies starting with the Cheka, which was established in December 1917 in the first days of the Bolshevik government. 999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000400360001-4 Militia: Same as for dress/semi-dress. Air Force Air Force Border Troops Police rank insignia by country. [9], In the late Cold War, the KGB was successful with intelligence coups in the cases of the mercenary walk-in recruits FBI counterspy Robert Hanssen (19792001) and CIA Soviet Division officer Aldrich Ames (1985-1994).[10]. thread. Cyrillic letters unit designators According to the unofficial table of ranks, KGB colonel was way more important than a military (or Militia) general. Eligible for promotion to private first class after 4 months time in rank and 12 months . During World War II the MGB conducted operations in Nazi-occupied Europe. Albania kept the Soviet-based system until 1966 when ranks and insignia were abolished completely. Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000400360001-4 These acronyms have survived as informal position names to the present day.[when?]. KGB Journals and books. Second most junior rank in the Army, and the first at which a Soldier wears rank insignia. 19 Sale Price $24.00 Although they underwent some modifications, the ranks were based on those of the Russian Empire. amazon.com/Inside-Aquarium-Making-Top-Soviet/dp/042509474X, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. OFFICERS' CANDIDATES and STUDENTS OF SUVOROV MILITARY SCHOOLS Of course you won't find any name regarding GRU Spetsnaz designations, you'll find numeric designations of regiments. Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000400360001-4 Generals' service coat 25-45. SOVIET MILITARIA, sells Soviet ranking insignia, etc. theless contains the most useful and important information on this NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN This category has the following 10 subcategories, out of 10 total. After the war, the MGB helped to crush all opposition, whether real or suspected, in eastern Europe and the Soviet Union; between 1945 and 1953 more than 750,000 Soviet citizens were arrested and punished for political crimes. 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Published in 111, 1973 (in Russian), , .. Repressive actions of the institutions of the soviet occupation regime from 1940. Immediately after the Revolution, personal military ranks were abandoned in favour of a system of positional ranks, which were acronyms of the full position names. always sky-blue, c) for the KGB: royal blue, d) for the Border Guard: dark green. Spetsnaz != KGB. Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000400360001-4 Guard and KGB: Background is olive drab. Yugoslavia abandoned the Soviet-style insignia in 1951, following the breakaway from Stalin's block; other countries quickly reverted to previous designs shortly after Stalin's death (19561958). A cinnamon-brown color was used instead of the burgundy red previously worn by commanders and commanding officers. The Cheka played a prominent role in the Russian Civil War (191820) and aided in crushing the anti-Soviet Kronshtadt and Antonov rebellions in 1921. Elephant, Warrior (6 months to a year), other names are a grand goose, senior rabbit, etc. Hm KGB officers didn't carry Army-like ranks, they were Army officers, KGB was a military service, nothing "like" about their ranks. DRESS/SEMI-DRESS. (in Russian) ( ), , .. And in 1974, Generals of the Army had one star on their shoulder epaulets rather than four with surrounding wreaths. subject. In particular, the Bolsheviks condemned the use of the word "officer" and used the word "commander" instead. non-commissioned officers' and enlisted men's cap devices Youll see ad results based on factors like relevancy, and the amount sellers pay per click. (in Russian), For Cold War KGB activity in the US, see Alexander Vassiliev's Notebooks. They were long-standing officers who would spend the rest of their careers in intelligence. NOTE: MILITIA OFFICERS always wear shoulderboards of silver thread background with red longitudinal stripes and pi ing. Thanks for contributing an answer to History Stack Exchange! In late 1967, the notable KGB success was the walk-in recruitment of US Navy Chief Warrant Officer John Anthony Walker who individually and via the Walker Spy Ring for eighteen years enabled Soviet Intelligence to decipher some one million US Navy messages, and track the US Navy. To make matters even more complicated, other than the typical military ranks (the KGB was a military service after all), there were several central and local offices, directorates and units. MISCELLANEOUS [citation needed] In 1944, the New York City residency infiltrated the top secret Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, by recruiting Theodore Hall, a nineteen-year-old Harvard physicist. Why have officers in the U.S. army tended to "top out" at the level of Major? We also created 2.6 million jobs in the U.S.enough to employ the entire city of Houston, TX! ARMY, AIR FORCE AND NAVY, KGB and MILITIA Above, there is only KGB general, and KGB chairman. These ranks, however, used a unique mix of functional titles and traditional ranks. The rank of KGB SUPREME KNIGHT is the highest enlisted rank. In the meantime, millions of political prisoners were released from the MVDs vast system of forced labour camps and from internal exile. 1963 saw all Starshina insignia in the Army and Air Force change to their final design. The British diplomatic and security establishments also had been infiltrated by important agents, including Kim Philby, a senior British intelligence officer. Approved For Release 1999/08(4: CIA-RDP78-02646R000400360001-4 Its policy Collegium comprised a chairman, deputy chairmen, directorate chiefs, and republican KGB chairmen. Soviet foreign intelligence in the last decade of Stalins life was remarkable in both its scope and success. And if the illegal resident spy was a Soviet national and a KGB officer, then it would make sense for them to be low ranking. DRESS/SEMI-DRESS & enlisted men HIGH, Dirk worn by officers and some petty-officers with dress uniform Unofficial grade system and military culture in the Soviet Army, Influence on rank systems in other countries, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Ranks and insignia of the Red Army and Navy 19181935, Ranks and insignia of the Red Army and Navy 19351940, Ranks and insignia of the Red Army and Navy 19401943, Ranks and insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 19431955, Ranks and insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 19551991, Army ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation, Air Force ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation, Naval ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation, " 1940 ", " 1919-21 ", " 1922-23 ", " 1924-36 ", " () 1943-55 ", " 1955-69", " 1970-88", " 1988-91(93)", " 1955-92(94) ", "Russia 1922-1991 (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)". (20% off), Sale Price $32.00 HERE TO LOOK FOR BRANCH OF SERVICE IDENTIFICATION INSIGNIA AND COLOR The Admiral of the Fleet rank was also created by then. (20% off). General officers and During this period the OGPU also conducted covert operations on foreign soil to disrupt the activities of the regimes opponents, some of whom it kidnapped and murdered. The ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces between 1955 and 1991 were distinguished by the reorganisation of the Soviet armed forces after the death of Stalin, resulting in changes to ranks, insignia, and uniforms. (in Russian)( , - . 1955 saw the renaming of the Admiral of the Fleet rank into that of Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union and was now equivalent to that of a Marshal of the Soviet Union. The service categories essentially operated as ranks in disguise: they indicated the experience and qualifications of a commander. Service uniforms What intelligence successes did the Axis have in WW2? The purpose of the attempted coup d'tat was to preserve the integrity of the Soviet Union and the constitutional order. Summer Captain (for officers serving on ships and . The ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Army between 1955 and 1991 were distinguished by the reorganisation of the Soviet armed forces after the death of Stalin, resulting in changes to ranks, insignia, and uniforms. (2008). During the Hungarian revolt, KGB chairman Ivan Serov personally supervised the post-invasion "normalization" of the country. Post-Soviet countries mostly retained the Soviet-based system of ranks and insignia, except for the Baltic States (they restored their pre-Soviet rank systems), Azerbaijan (which wanted to make its uniforms and ranks prominently different from Armenian), Georgia, and Ukraine (Soviet-style designs were used before 2003 and 2016 in both Georgia and Ukraine respectively). The ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces between 1955 and 1991 were distinguished by the reorganisation of the Soviet armed forces after the death of Stalin, resulting in changes to ranks, insignia, and uniforms. Colonel (Artillery) HIGH RANKING OFFICERS Personal ranks were reintroduced in 1935, and general officer ranks were restored in May 1940. enlisted men's shoulderboards Hence, during the Second World War (193945)at the Teheran (1943), Yalta (1945), and Potsdam (1945) conferencesBig Three Ally Joseph Stalin of the USSR, was better informed about the war affairs of his US and UK allies than they were about his.[8]. Its rank structure was modeled on that of the army however, in part to give its officers the clout needed to act against the military if needed. Non-commissioned officers and 1972 saw Midshipmen's status raised to warrant officers with Chief Ship Petty Officers replacing their former roles as the highest enlisted ratings. Stars and (in Russian), , (1973). buttons are gold. At that time the Imperial Russian Table of Ranks was abolished, as were the privileges of the pre-Soviet Russian nobility. --I Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. The Soviet influence on the rank and insignia of other countries reached the apex after WW2 when most countries of East Europe changed their traditional insignia to the Soviet design. . : " ". Air Force, Naval, KGB and '?' The Chairman of the KGB, First Deputy Chairmen (12), Deputy Chairmen (46). NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS and ENLISTED MEN Outside the Warsaw Alliance, the Soviet system of ranks and insignia influenced those in the following countries: China (before 1958 and after 1988), East Turkestan (unrecognized, part of China), North Korea, Vietnam (with stripes horizontal rather than vertical), Laos (senior officers have a thick stripe instead of two thin stripes), Kampuchea (19791993), Afghanistan (senior officers have horizontal stripes instead of vertical), South Yemen (19851990), Mongolia, and Cuba (the latter two countries slightly changed designs in the post-Soviet times, but the Soviet patterns are still easy to recognize). History Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for historians and history buffs. Did any DOS compatibility layers exist for any UNIX-like systems before DOS started to become outmoded? (20% off), Sale Price $20.00 In 1970 all Starshinas became full-time senior non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel and the new NCO rank of Praporshchik became a Warrant Officer rank, with a new rank of Senior Praporshchik created for senior rank holders later in 1981. Multicolor plastics, 75 x 100 mm. You are thinking of US Army ranks, the Soviet Army had three lieutenant ranks. of the Soviet Union 2. We had 1 to 100 casualitiy rates while GRU Spetsnaz had 1 to 200-300. They stayed that way until 1925 when new ranks and rates were created. 1980.png 448 1,088; 1.04 MB. I can say the GRU is the most fearsome force in Chechnya. This page was last edited on 28 September 2018, at 11:31. 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Of course I'm not implying such sleeper-cells existed in the USA, just asking for likely ranks. It was the chief government agency of "union-republican jurisdiction", acting as internal security, intelligence, and secret police. On September 22, 1935, the Red Army abandoned service categories and introduced personal ranks. Army, Air Force, Border Guard and KGB: Background either of gold or silver They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces between 1955 and 1991 were distinguished by the reorganisation of the Soviet armed forces after the death of Stalin, resulting in changes to ranks, insignia, and uniforms. Marshals and. With powerful tools and services, along with expert support and education, we help creative entrepreneurs start, manage, and scale their businesses. What would the likely ranks be for a pair of sleeper-agents under deep-cover posing as a married couple for years in the USA? [3], A 1983 Time magazine article reported that the KGB was the world's most effective information-gathering organization. Officers' cap devices What would be typical ranks of KGB officers spying in the west during the 1980s? They were operating as illegal resident spies, continuing the long tradition of the (now defunct) KGB. Finally, the KGB prepared hardline, pro-USSR members of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (CPC), such as Alois Indra and Vasil Biak, to assume power after the Red Army's invasion. On tunics with standing collar, hex- Our global marketplace is a vibrant community of real people connecting over special goods. In December 1956 the coloured border piping on officers' shoulder straps was changed. Established in 1954, the KGB was the most durable of a series of security agencies starting with the Cheka, which was established in December 1917 in the first days of the Bolshevik government. Military Schools enlisted men OFFICERS Most of the officer ranks were revived in 1935, save for the high-ranking officers, and the new PO rank of Squad Commander. Operations and Technology Directorate research laboratories for recording devices and, Administration Department of the KGB, and, , .. What rank is S. SGT in the Army Air Force during WW2? Vice-Admiral What were the needs of the US Navy that resulted in the production of both the Arleigh Burke class and Ticonderoga class in the 1980s? is either silver on gold shoulderboards or gold on silver shoulderboards. the non-official cover CIA officer). The former officers of the IRN who joined the ranks of this new navy retained their ranks with the abbreviation "b." Within two days, by 20 August 1991, the attempted coup collapsed. Union More than 750,000 people were executed in 193738 alone, including tens of thousands of party officials and military and security officers. $20.00, $25.00 FIELD. The ranks and rates were, just like in their counterparts in the Army, personal positions for officers, Petty Officers, and seaman rates. Found something you love but want to make it even more uniquely you? Among the victims were more than half the members of the ruling Central Committee (the Communist Partys highest organ) as well as the NKVDs first two chiefs, Genrikh Yagoda and Nikolay Yezhov. Non-commissioned officers and (20% off), Sale Price $64.00 [11] Andropov failed to expel Solzhenitsyn before 1974; but did internally exile Sakharov to Gorky in 1980. The rank insignia for the 191825 ranks were on the sleeve and cuff. The branch of service insignia We find it necessary to join the military ranks of komdiv and komcor into a single Lieutenant General rank, and to similarly join the military ranks of komandarm 2nd rank and komandarm 1st rank into a single rank of General of the Infantry (artillery, cavalry, aviation, armored troops, etc.). From 1919 to 1922, colour of collar patch indicating the corps:[6], From 1922 to 1923, the rank insignia have four colours:[7], From 1924 to 1934, the rank insignia have two colours. 1980.png 88 249; 34 KB. Original Price $40.00 Submariner's badge NOTE: ALL SHOUL.DERBOARDS: If one did not know a commander's position, one used one of the possible positions - for example: "Regiment Commander" for K-9. Later in 1943, the ranks of Marshal and Chief Marshal of a service branch were introduced in aviation, artillery, communications troops, and armored troops; both equivalent to General of the Army. branch of service. The aftermath of the Second Red Scare (194757), McCarthyism, and the destruction of the CPUSA hampered recruitment. The banks were Peninsula National Bank in Burlingame, the First National Bank of Fresno, and the Tahoe National Bank in South Lake Tahoe. Both agencies became ministriesthe Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) and the Ministry of State Security (MGB)in 1946. A year later the GPU was renamed the OGPU (Unified State Political Administration) and given additional duties, including the administration of corrective labour camps and the surveillance of the population. This unusual rank structure makes rank comparisons difficult; Marshal of the Soviet Union is arguably not the equivalent to NATO five-star general ranks such as British Field Marshal or American General of the Army, but is instead an honorary rank analogous to the Marshal of France, although without associated state functions. 2. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. motorized infantry troops red (scarlet); artillery, rocket, tank, engineering, construction, automobile, railway troops, signal-corps, troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection black; air force and airborne troops sky blue; state security troops (KGB troops) dark blue, instead of the letters "" (, internal troops (Interior Ministry troops) crimson (dark red), instead of the letters "" (, border troops green, instead of the letters ". Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000400360001-4 What was the origin of the roles of "lieutenant" officers? MILITIA: DRESS and SERVICE (Rank stripes are in silver or white) Army, Air Force, Border Guard and KGB: Background is olive drab. Guard and KGB: Background is olive drab. RANKING OFFICERS OFFICERS SHOULDERBOARDS In the Soviet Navy before 1935 the ranks were personal positions. Q19908768. Soviet intelligences officers carried "Army"-like ranks. The KGB prepared the Red Army's route by infiltrating to Czechoslovakia many illegal residents disguised as Western tourists. The military ranks of the Soviet Union were those introduced after the October Revolution of 1917. In supporting those Communist governments, the KGB was instrumental in crushing the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, and the Prague Spring of "Socialism with a Human Face", in 1968 Czechoslovakia. At present we have five General-grade ranks (kombrig, komdiv, komcor, komandarm 2nd rank, and komandarm 1st rank). Navy: Same as for dress/semi-dress but shaped according to Fig. [3][pageneeded]. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. W [o"q ?8ke@ph WpW*lt9I8 TIFIZR lWMiopn M~f The KGB was the foreign intelligence and domestic security agency of the Soviet Union. Declassified Russian and American documents indicate that the Soviet Union had placed at least five agents in the U.S. nuclear weapons program and possibly as many as 300 agents in the U.S. government by 1945. In 1943 all naval rank insignia became uniform in the fleet and ground forces. 19434.png 248 100; 49 KB. shoulderboards have piping, other ranks have only longitudinal stripes colored The republican affiliation offices almost completely duplicated the structural organization of the main KGB. The agent then substantiated his or her legend by living it in a foreign country, before emigrating to the target country, thus the sending of US-bound illegal residents via the Soviet embassy in Ottawa, Canada. Army, Air Force and KGB 1980.png 114 358; 86 KB. 18 Marshal Marshal of Col. General Under Catherine the Great were all officers appointed for five years? Approved For Release 199 ji C%N F 78-026468000400360001-4 MILITIA (CRIMINAL AND TRAFFIC POLICE) https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Military_ranks_of_the_Soviet_Union&oldid=1142532203, Major General Corps, Division, or (rarely) Brigade level, General of the Army Army or Front level, Marshal or Chief Marshal service branch, Army level, Marshal of the Soviet Union Front or Supreme Command level, reserved for most honored field commanders, Colour of numbers and letters on collar patch. Colonel Lt. Col. Major Winter Soviet Military, I Buttons are gold. Do roots of these polynomials approach the negative of the Euler-Mascheroni constant? 4 OFFICERS Summer: field Summer: service Summer: service Militia of Captain 1st Rank or below. 999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02 The rank systems in the pro-Soviet states of Mongolia and Tuva developed under the Soviet influence, following the pattern change in 1943. The PO rank of Starshina was retained, however. Fleet of the Soviet Thus, a komvzvoda (platoon commander) was a position for an officer who would typically hold a lieutenant or senior lieutenant rank, kombat (battalion commander) was an equivalent of captain or major, and kompolka was an equivalent of lieutenant colonel or colonel. In 1941 responsibility for state security was transferred from the NKVD to the NKGB (Peoples Commissariat for State Security). Engineering-Techinal Services The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was also introduced. Navy: Background black or sky-blue. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Army, Air-Force and KGB In its early history, the KGB valued illegal spies more than legal spies, because illegal spies infiltrated their targets with greater ease. serv c'eer dr oved Foe l I 999/08 Xme :IA-RDP78- i 00040 36fl HONOR GUARD (usually (usually mustered for arrival of Chiefs of State) The early Red Army abandoned the institution of a professional officer corps as a "heritage of tsarism" in the course of the Revolution. So a KGB colonel is a fearsome man. Captain Senior Lt. Up until 2010, there were no confirmed cases of Soviet or Russian sleeper agents in the US. On certain types of uniform the shape of the In consequence, KGB monitored the satellite-state populations for occurrences of "harmful attitudes" and "hostile acts;" yet, stopping the Prague Spring, deposing a nationalist Communist government, was its greatest achievement. Rank insignia of Yefreytor of the KGB Border Troops (1980).png 89 242; 28 KB. Private, Military Construction Captain Senior It. The main domestic service, the FSB, is a successor to the Communist-era KGB. Responsibility for personnel, equipment and mission grows with each advancement. (2004). PART I-GENERAL. Former intelligence analyst, Directorate of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency. Air Force (Infantry) (Artillery) The GRU (military intelligence) recruited the ideological agents Julian Wadleigh and Alger Hiss, who became State Department diplomats in 1936. The ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Army between 1955 and 1991 were distinguished by the reorganisation of the Soviet armed forces after the death of Stalin, resulting in changes to ranks, insignia, and uniforms. Further complications ensued from the functional and categorical ranks for political officers (e.g., "Brigade Commissar", "Army Commissar 2nd Rank"), for technical corps (e.g., "Engineer 3rd Rank", "Division Engineer"), for administrative, medical and other non-combatant branches. You are thinking of US Army ranks, the Soviet Army had three lieutenant ranks. I stand by the rest, using as my source. Militsiya of the Soviet Union. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? ground or silver stars on a gold background. The colour of collar patch and the colour of collar patch's edge indicating the corps:[8], From 1935 to 1942, the rank insignia have two colours. Beria also was responsible for the Soviet Unions nascent nuclear weapons program and oversaw intelligence operations directed at the U.S. and British atomic bomb projects. Is the show any good? On November 2, 1940, the system underwent further modification with the abolition of functional ranks for NCOs and the reintroduction of the Podpolkovnik (sub-colonel) rank. the Royal Montenegrin coat-of-arms which again is a new heraldic insignia of this small country. During the Soviet era the KGBs responsibilities also included the protection of the countrys political leadership, the supervision of border troops, and the general surveillance of the population. Marshals and General officers Rank stripes white. These units and formations existed in the highest-possible secrecy, and were disguised as Soviet paratroopers (Army spetsnaz) or naval infantrymen (Naval spetsnaz) by their uniforms and insignia. Militia. Army, Air Force, Border Guard and KGB: Background in color of Branch of Navy: Background either of gold or silver thread. Curiously, the initial draft of the new rank system submitted by People's Commissar of Defence Marshal Voroshilov was more in line with Russian military tradition. After the introduction of this new system, most existing kombrigs were ranked as colonel, although some were ranked as general; existing komdivs were mostly ranked as major general, komcors and Army Commanders 2nd rank was mostly ranked Lieutenant General, and Army Commanders 1st rank were ranked as Colonel General or General of the Army (a notable exception is Georgy Zhukov who was promoted to General of the Army directly from komcor rank).