The navy honors traditions, observes ancient rituals and cherishes symbols. Everyone knows that the main flag of the Russian Navy is the St. Andrew banner, proudly fluttering on the masts and mainmasts of the first imperial sailing ships of the Peter's fleet. However, not everyone knows that even then there were other maritime flags that differed in function and informative orientation. This is still the case today.
Birth of St. Andrew's flag
The Russian fleet was created by Peter the Great, he also took care of its symbols. He drew the first naval flags himself and went through several options. The chosen version was based on the "oblique" St. Andrew's Cross. It was this option, which became the eighth and last, that served until the October Revolution of 1917. Crossed by St. Andrew the First-Called, Russian ships won many victories, and if they suffered defeats, then the glory of the heroism of sailors survived generations and shines to this day.
St. Andrew the First-Called
The reason why this symbol was chosen has a deep meaning. The fact is that the first disciple of Christ, AndrewThe First-Called, the brother of the Apostle Peter, is considered both the patron saint of sailors (he himself was a Galilean fisherman) and Holy Russia. In his wanderings, he visited, among many other cities, Kyiv, Veliky Novgorod, and Volkhov, preaching the Christian faith. The Apostle Andrew was martyred on the cross, while the executioners crucified him not on a straight, but on an oblique cross (this is how the concept and name of this symbol arose).
The naval ensign of Russia in the final version of Peter the Great looked like a white flag crossed out with a blue cross. And so it is today.
Soviet period
In the first years after the revolution, the Bolsheviks did not attach much importance to naval power. During the Civil War, almost all fronts were land fronts, and when the devastation came, there simply were no funds for the maintenance of complex equipment. The few ships of the river and sea fleets that remained at the disposal of the new government raised the red flag. The leadership of the workers' and peasants' army and comrade L. D. Trotsky treated maritime traditions, heraldry, symbols, history, and the like "ashes of the old world" with contempt.
In 1923, the former officer of the tsarist fleet, Ordynsky, nevertheless convinced the Bolsheviks to adopt a special flag for ships, offering a rather strange option - an almost complete copy of the Japanese banner with the sign of the Red Army in the center. This flag of the navy of the RSFSR flew on yards and flagpoles until 1935, then it had to be abandoned. Imperial Japan was becoming a likely adversary, and from afarthe ships could easily be confused.
The decision on the new Red Navy pennant was taken by the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR. Even then, some continuity was observed, white and blue colors appeared on it, borrowed from the Andreevsky banner, but, of course, the new symbol of the USSR Navy could not do without a star and a hammer and sickle, moreover, red ones.
In 1950, it was somewhat changed, reducing the relative size of the star. The flag has acquired a geometric balance, objectively it has become more beautiful. In this form, it existed until the collapse of the USSR and another year, while there was confusion. In 1992, new (or rather, revived old) St. Andrew's naval flags were hoisted on all ships of the Russian Navy. The shade of the color of the cross did not quite correspond to historical tradition, but in general it was almost the same as under Peter the Great. Everything is back to normal.
What flags are in the fleet
Flags in the fleet are different, and their purpose is different. In addition to the usual stern Andreevsky banners, a guis is also raised on ships of the first and second ranks, but only while moored at the pier. After going to sea, the stern flag is hoisted on the mast or topmasts (at the highest point). If a battle begins, the state flag is raised.
Colored flags
The charter also provides for pennants of naval commanders of various ranks. Naval flags, indicating the presence of commanders on board, are indicated by a red flag, a quarter of which is occupied by blueSt. Andrew's cross on a white background. On the colored field are:
- one star (white) - if the commander of the formation of ships is on board;
- two stars (white) - if the commander of a flotilla or squadron is on board;
- three stars (white) - if the fleet commander is on board.
Besides this, there are other colored flags, with the coat of arms of the Russian Federation on a red background, crossed out with two crosses, St. Andrew's and straight white or with two intersecting anchors on the same background. This means the presence on the ship of the Minister of Defense or the Chief of the General Staff.
Signal flags
Information exchange, as in the past, can be carried out through visual symbols, including sea signal flags. Of course, in the age of electronic means, they are used extremely rarely and, rather, serve as a symbol of the inviolability of naval traditions, and on holidays they decorate the ball-gray monotony of ship camouflage with their multicolor, but if necessary, they can also perform their direct function. Sailors must be able to use them, and for this they need to study reference books, which contain all the flag signals. These volumes consist of sections that contain transcripts of geographical names, ship names, military ranks, and the like. Directories are two-flag and three-flag, with the help of many combinations you can quickly report the situation and transmit orders. Negotiations with foreign courts are conducted throughInternational Code of Flag Signals.
In addition to pennants, meaning whole phrases, there have always been letter flags with which you can compose any message.
Flags with St. George ribbon
All military units are conditionally divided into ordinary and guards. A distinctive feature of the guard in Russia is the St. George Ribbon, which is present in the symbolism of the unit. Naval flags, decorated with an orange and black stripe, mean that a ship or coastal base belongs to a number of especially glorified units. The sailors abandoned the initial idea that the ribbon should become a separate element of the banner, so that it could not wrap around the flag halyard, and now the St. George symbol is applied directly to the canvas in its lower part. Such a naval flag of Russia testifies to the special combat readiness and high class of both the ship itself and its crew, it obliges a lot.
Marine Flag
During the Soviet era, each branch of the military had its own symbols. For example, the maritime border guards belonging to the USSR State Security Committee had their own flag, which was a compilation of the Navy flag in a reduced form on a green field. Now, after the adoption of a single model, the diversity has become less, but unofficial symbols have appeared, created by the imagination of the military, and therefore, probably, even more beloved and revered by them. One of them is the flag of the Marine Corps. In essence, this is the same St. Andrew's white with a blue crosscanvas, but it is supplemented with a patch of this type of troops (a gold anchor in a black circle), the inscription "Marine Corps" and the motto "Where we are, there is victory!".
The marine corps was created in Russia earlier than in many other countries (almost together with the fleet), and during its existence covered itself with unfading glory. In 1669, the Eagle team became its first unit, and in 1705 the first marine soldier regiment was formed. It was November 27, and since then this day has been celebrated by all Marines. They fought not only as marines, they also participated in ground operations, during the Napoleonic invasion, and in other wars (Crimean, Russian-Turkish, World War I, Great Patriotic War). In the armed conflicts of recent decades, they also had a chance to fight, and the enemy knew that if the flag of the marines was raised, then the circumstances for him were very unfavorable and it was best for him to retreat.
After a long break in February 2012, heraldic naval justice was restored. From the hands of the President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Admiral Kuroyedov, received the updated naval ensign of Russia. Now he flies over all the oceans.
