USSR Ministries of Defence and Interior uniform regulations 3 On January 1st 1943, new military uniform regulations were introduced and all military and paramilitary officers wore essentially very similar uniforms for the next six years (with the exception of the Victory parade uniforms). The next series of changes for all military General rank, junior and senior officers were implemented on February 24th 1949 when General rank officers along with Air Force (VVS) and Armoured Corps junior and senior officers were issued a new khaki green, double-breasted-style, open collar dress and service uniform jacket. The next major uniform changes were announced throughout 1954, starting on April 9th with the new General rank officer uniforms, although all changes were not officially implemented until the new uniform regulations were promulgated on February 25th 1955. The KGB was created as a standalone organisation in 1954, and appears to have immediately adopted land forces uniforms, but the Ministry of Interior now controlling the new and much expanded MVD (Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del) did not announce a complete new set of uniform regulations until July 11th 1956. Open collar khaki service uniform jacket first issued to all Air Force and Armoured Corps junior and senior officers in 1949, with Paramilitary services Air and Armour units following later (left). Field officers serving in all other corps and Paramilitary services (except Air and Armour) retained the M43 closed high collar jacket (right) until it was finally removed from service in the March 1958 Military uniform regulations, and May 1959 for all Paramilitary services. (Author collection) 13
July 26th 1969 to December 1991 specialist Major-General s grey summer service uniform jacket (top), and a specialist Lieutenant- General s service jacket made in 1967 (bottom). (Contributor: Dmitri A Likholyot) Buyer s tip: Compared to the uniforms of other Generals, the Special Corps raspberry-trimmed, light grey summer service jacket is the most common still available in the collector market. The main reason for this is that the Ukrainian Interior Ministry adopted raspberry trimming and edging for internal security forces Generals, which ensured the longevity and greater number of uniforms available. Political General rank officers It was possible for a political officer to reach the rank of General. According to the July 26th 1969 uniform regulations, a political General rank officer wore the same raspberry-trimmed uniform as the specialist engineering Generals. One position for such an officer would have been commandant of the Lenin Political-Military Academy, where all military political officers were trained. Specialist General rank officer s field uniform, closed high collar jacket and visor cap worn from November 1st 1973 to January 1st 1980. Post-Soviet era Ukrainian Generals wearing raspberry-edged and piped uniforms. The Major-General on the left is wearing the same jacket he wore when serving in the Soviet armed forces Engineering Corp, but in this picture he was serving with the Ukrainian version of the former Soviet MVD. 36
KGB officer s service uniform worn from March 4th 1988 to December 1991. Cornflower blue stripe(s) on all shoulder board types Same collar tab insignia as the Army s Motorised Rifles Corps Note: Field service visor caps were replaced by the Pilotka in the March 4th 1988 uniform regulations. Buyer s tip: There s no evidence to suggest that KGB officers wore any other collar tab insignia apart from the one shown in this chapter. Whilst there was a KGB medical department, it s highly unlikely its staff advertised in public that they were pro-kgb, and no evidence exists showing a KGB military-style band, either. Buyer s tip: Beware of sellers using the acronyms NKVD when offering a KGB (or vice versa) uniform component or accessory item for sale as these organisations never wore the same uniforms. Nor did KGB officers wear blue or dark grey uniform jackets, which were only worn by the Soviet Police (Militia). KGB and Militia should not appear in the same sentence when advertising uniforms. Did KGB officers ever really wear a Pilotka? Uniformed officers guarding the nuclear weapons, possibly, but who really knows?
18 Junior and senior officer uniform coats 1970 for MVD), a summer khaki green, single-breasted-style raincoat with hidden buttons and a belt, equipped with collar tabs and khaki green sew-on shoulder boards A non-rank-specific, electrically-heated winter coat with fur collar, field-type sew-on shoulder boards, usually worn with a Ushanka winter hat, regardless of officer rank The steel grey winter coat and visor cap combination was usually only worn for the Soviet May 1st International Workers Day parade in Moscow. However, it s quite possible that it was worn on other occasions as well, despite the fact that it s not illustrated in the uniform regulation manuals covering the years 1955 to 1991. (Contributor: Soviet Union military archives) 76 Junior and senior officers were issued with numerous uniform coats, such as: Steel grey, woollen, double-breastedstyle winter coat with twelve buttons and non-embroidered collar tabs in service or corps s, and gold, silver or steel grey sew-on shoulder boards, depending on uniform period. This type of coat was usually worn with a *Ushanka (Papaha worn by Colonels), or visor caps Note: *Papaha and Ushanka hats are described in the next chapter. From February 25th 1955 to July 26th 1969 (October 20th 1970 for MVD), steel grey, woollen, double-breasted-style summer overcoat, with six buttons showing and one or two hidden under the lapels, collar tabs and sew-on gold or silver shoulder boards From February 25th 1955 to July 26th 1969 (October 20th 1970 for MVD), brown woollen (field grey), double-breasted-style service coat, with twelve buttons on the front, collar tabs and sew-on field shoulder boards From July 26th 1969 (October 20th Armoured Corps Captain wearing winter uniform with dagger, as authorised in the 25th February 1955 regulations. (Author collection)
23 Service & corps identification The Soviet military first got into coding when order no 322, dated January 31st 1922, was promulgated, and the familiar s of crimson (raspberry or magenta), blue (state security blue or cornflower blue), black, azure blue and red were introduced along with less familiar s such as navy blue, dark green, light green, yellow and white. In order no 10 of January 11th 1927, combinations were expanded again when the military decided to code each Cavalry regiment, signal and combat engineering troop, and horse drawn Artillery battery. However, in 1935, codes began to be reigned in; some s were allocated as exclusive one-service use, one was shared and two eliminated: Navy blue and white were assigned exclusively to the Soviet Navy Light green became forest green and was assigned exclusively to the Frontier Guards (later to become the KGB Border Guards) Blue was assigned exclusively to state and internal security forces Crimson (raspberry or magenta) was shared between state and internal security forces and Infantry (which became motorised (powered) rifles) Azure blue was assigned exclusively to the Air Force Black, red and dark green were assigned exclusively to the Army Yellow and orange were eliminated Why is this important? There are a plethora of reproduction items on the market of different combinations, such as green shoulder boards with orange edging. If a collector knows that orange was dropped as a identification code before WW2, then a shoulder board or collar tab with orange edging can be identified as pre-ww2. If it s in good condition it s a misidentified reproduction. Soviet military & paramilitary forces Officer Corps uniform code tables Soviet military forces February 25th 1955 to July 26th 1969 Base Shoulder boards Collar tabs Visor cap Colour of collar Edging Stripe Corps Edging for Generals coats & officer s jacket Embroidery for Generals coat or officer s insignia Band Crown piping edging, cuff piping if applicable and trouser stripes Embroidery for jackets. visor caps, and visor cap cord Marshal of the Soviet Union Gold Red N/A Red Gold Gold Red Red Red Gold Motorised (powered) Rifles Marshals & Generals Gold Red N/A Red Gold Gold Red Red Red Gold Officers Gold Raspberry Raspberry Raspberry Gold Gold Raspberry Raspberry Raspberry Gold Artillery Marshals & Generals Gold Red N/A Black velvet Gold Gold Black velvet Red Red Gold Combat officers Gold Red Red Black velvet Gold Gold Black velvet Red Red Gold Non-combat officers Silver Red Red Black velvet Gold Gold Black velvet Red Red Gold 104