Military rank is assigned to a soldier in accordance with his official position, belonging to a particular type of armed forces.
History of military ranks
In Russia, the emergence of permanent military formations was associated with the beginning of the use of firearms. Indeed, in order to learn how to use this type of weapon, frequent and regular classes, as well as specific knowledge, were necessary. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, streltsy hundreds appeared in Russia, and military ranks appeared in them. The first military ranks of the Russian army were: archer, foreman, centurion. However, they were an alloy of military rank and position held in a military formation. Later, under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, two more ranks appeared - Pentecostal and head. After that, the hierarchy of military ranks began to look like this:
1. Sagittarius.
2. Foreman.
3. Pentecost.
4. Centurion.
5. Head.
A foreman by modern standards can be equated with the rank of sergeant or foreman,Pentecostal - to the lieutenant, centurion, respectively - to the captain, but the head is the same as the colonel. By the way, under Boris Godunov, foreign military units - companies - already had the ranks of "captain" - captain and "lieutenant" - lieutenant, but these ranks were not used in Russian units. And by the end of the 17th century, during the reign of Peter the Great, the military ranks of the Russian army were replenished with the rank of half-head and colonel, the latter is still used to this day. In the same period, regiments of a foreign system were formed. Both Russians and foreign mercenaries served in them. The system of these divisions almost corresponded to European ones, and the hierarchy of ranks was formed from the following ranks:
I. Soldier.
II. Corporal.
III. Ensign.
IV. Lieutenant (lieutenant).
V. Captain (captain).
VI. Quartermaster.
VII. Major.
VIII. Lieutenant colonel.
IX. Colonel.
Until 1654, the military ranks of the tsarist Russian army did not include the rank of general. For the first time this title was awarded to Avram Leslie by Peter the Great for the return of the city of Smolensk. It was this king who introduced this title as an addition to the highest ranks of the state. This is how the ranks of general-in-chief, general-field marshal, general-auditor, etc. appeared.
The hierarchy of ranks in the Imperial Russian Army at the beginning of the 20th century
Generals (the highest military ranks of the Russian army):
• general - (field marshal; lieutenant; major);
• general of infantry, cavalry, etc.
Staff officers (the highest military ranks of the Russianarmy):
• colonel;
• lieutenant colonel;
• major.
Ober officers (middle officer ranks):
• captain (captain);
• staff captain;
• lieutenant;
• second lieutenant (cornet).
Ensigns (lower officer ranks):
• Ensign, sub-ensign and ordinary ensign.
NCOs:
• sergeant major;
• non-commissioned officer (senior, junior).
Private:
- corporal;
- private.
Military ranks in the modern Russian army (ground forces)
After the October Revolution, the establishment of Soviet power on the territory of the Russian Empire and the birth of the Soviet Army, the military charter underwent some changes. A new hierarchy of ranks was created, which, in principle, does not differ from the modern one. Below is a list that includes the military ranks of the Russian army.
Private:
Private and corporal
Junior officers:
- Sergeant (junior, senior).
- Sergeant Major.
- Ensign (senior).
Officers:
- Lieutenant (junior, senior).
- Captain.
- Major.
Officers commanding staff:
- Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel.
- General- (-major, -lieutenant, -colonel, army).
Here is the complete list, including all military ranks of the Russian army. shoulder straps,corresponding to each rank, are shoulder badges by which you can determine the rank of a particular serviceman.
