Home Page World War II Armed Forces — Orders of Battle and Organizations Last Updated 01.05.04
Soviet Army and Army Air Force
Ranks
Russian Transliteration US Army and USAAF equivalent rank Notes
  Generalissimus [Note 1]   (lit.: Supreme General / Generalissimus) [1] Used only once during the Soviet era, namely by Josef Stalin, as of 26.06.45.

[2] The ranks of Chief Marshal were established 27.08.1943. They were immdediately below the Marshal of the Soviet Union in heirarchy.

[3] The ranks of Marshal of the Air Forces, Artillery, and Tank Forces were introduced in 04.02.43; whereas these ranks for the Engineer Forces and the Signal Forces were established on 27.08.43. They were immdediately below the General of the Army in heirarchy.

[4] The rank designation for Brigadier General (Kombrig) had been deleted on 07.05.40, and Colonels were promoted thereafter directly to the rank with the designation Major General (General-Major). To confuse matters, in 1943 the insignia of the General-Major was changed from two stars to one star. The US Army equivalent ranks indicated here can therefore be merely an indication of the hierarchy.

[5] The rank of Podpolkovnik was introduced on 07.05.40. Previously, a Major was promoted to Polkovnik directly.
  Marshal Sovetskogo Souza
For chiefs of specific arms: [Note 2]

—   Glavniy Marshal Aviatsii
—   Glavniy Marshal Artilerii
—   Glavniy Marshal Bronetankovikh Voisk
—   Glavniy Marshal Ingineernikh Voisk
—   Glavniy Marshal Voisk Svyazi
MSU

CM
(lit.: Marshal of the Soviet Union)
 

(lit.: Chief Marshal of Aviation)
(lit.: Chief Marshal of Artillery)
(lit.: Chief Marshal of Tank Forces)
(lit.: Chief Marshal of Technical Forces)
(lit.: Chief Marshal of Signal Forces)
G5 General Armii
(Komandarm Pervogo Ranga prior to 07.05.40)
For chiefs of specific arms: [Note 3]

—   Marshal Aviatsii
—   Marshal Artilerii
—   Marshal Bronetankovikh Voisk
—   Marshal Ingineernikh Voisk
—   Marshal Voisk Svyazi
GA General of the Army
 


(lit.: Marshal of Aviation)
(lit.: Marshal of Artillery)
(lit.: Marshal of Tank Forces)
(lit.: Marshal of Technical Forces)
(lit.: Marshal of Signal Forces)
G4 General-Polkovnik
(Komandarm Vtorogo Ranga prior to 07.05.40)
GEN General (lit.: Colonel General)
G3 General-Leitenant
(Komkor prior to 07.05.40)
LTG Lieutenant General
G2 General-Major [Note 4]
(Komdiv prior to 07.05.40)
MG Major General
G1 — [Note 4]
(Kombrig prior to 07.05.40)
BG Brigadier General
O6 Polkovnik COL Colonel
O5 Podpolkovnik [Note 5] LTC Lieutenant Colonel
O4 Major MAJ Major
O3 Kapitan CPT Captain
O2 Starshiyi Leytenant 1LT 1st Lieutenant
O1 Leytenant 2LT 2nd Lieutenant
Mladshiy Leytenant 3LT 3rd Lieutenant
 
Return To Previous Page