Generals in the Russian Federation, as in any other country, are among the highest officers. General's epaulettes are used to designate the highest ranks in the military and power structures of Russia.
When were shoulder straps introduced?
In the history of Russia, shoulder straps began to be used during the reign of Peter I. Initially, they were intended only for soldiers. Over time, officers began to use them. Since there was no single model of shoulder straps, they did not perform a distinctive function well. This was corrected by introducing uniforms of different colors: each battalion or regiment had its own color scheme. The officer's shoulder straps had a hexagonal shape, and the soldier's - pentagonal. The general's epaulettes in those days were a galloon of golden or silver color without stars. Similar insignia were used until 1917.
After the October Revolution, soldiers' and generals' epaulets were abolished, as they were perceived in Soviet Russia as hostile. They were saved by the Whites. The insignia became a counter-revolutionary symbol, and the officers wearing them were called “gold chasers”. This situation continued untilfrom the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War.
Who wears shoulder straps in Russia today?
Today, on the territory of the Russian Federation, as in some other states, not only the personnel of the Armed Forces have the right to wear shoulder straps. Shoulder straps are used in the prosecutor's office, police, tax and environmental inspectorates, railway, sea, river and civil aviation.
Who are the generals?
The rank of general refers to the highest officer ranks, for each of which there are corresponding general epaulettes. Ranks, which used to differ from each other depending on the type of troops, today have become one. The Russian army provides for the presence of ranks:
- major general;
- lieutenant general;
- Colonel General;
- General.
What does a general's epaulettes look like?
After the Decree of the President of Russia in May 1994, a new uniform was introduced for army officers of the Russian Federation. The dimensions, colors and shape of shoulder straps have been changed. Now they do not reach the collar of the tunic. Shoulder straps, both sewn on and removable, became hexagonal in shape. Their upper part contains a button that performs a decorative function. Today shoulder straps are 50 mm wide and 150 mm long.
General stars on shoulder straps are arranged in one vertical row depending on the rank:
- Major-General's epaulettes have one star;
- wearing two stars is provided for on the shoulder straps of a lieutenant general;
- Colonel General wears three stars;
- general - four.
After 2013, in the Russian army, generals' shoulder straps of all types began to be equipped with a combined arms emblem and one big star. Compared with the star of the marshal, the star of the general of the Russian army is smaller. But the rank of marshal in various branches of the military was abandoned back in 1993. The Marshal's Star, an insignia adopted in 1981, was then abolished.
What colors are used?
After the adoption of the law in 1994, the dress uniform of generals is equipped with golden shoulder straps with sewn on stars, the diameter of which is 22 mm. In the ground forces of the Russian Federation, for generals' shoulder straps, a red edging is provided, for the Airborne Forces, Aerospace Forces and aviation - blue.
Green epaulettes with a red edging are sewn onto the everyday uniform of the generals of the ground forces. In the airborne troops and the military space forces of Russia, generals in everyday life wear green epaulettes with blue trim. For aviation, the wearing of blue shoulder straps with a blue edging is provided. In the field, the color of shoulder straps is green. Green stars are sewn on them.
According to the charter for white shirts, general's epaulets are white. Golden stars are sewn on them.
On green shirts - green epaulets and golden stars. For aviation generals, blue shirts and blue epaulettes with golden stars sewn on are provided. For shirt epaulettes of generals of justice, veterinary and medical services, it is mandatory to wearrespective emblems. For everyday wear, generals use sewn-on shoulder straps. Removable only apply to shirts.
Other distinguishing means
The ranks of senior officers can be identified not only by using the stars sewn on the general's epaulettes. The photo below shows the design features of these distinctive means. On July 31, 2014, the President of the Russian Federation signed a Decree on the creation of a new shoulder strap. You can recognize the general of the army of the Russian Armed Forces with the help of a running edge.
For the generals of the Russian army it is red, for the Air Force it is blue. The ranks of the generals of the FSB on shoulder straps have a cornflower blue piping. Red stars are sewn onto shoulder straps. The Federal Service for the Protection of Special Objects under the President of the Russian Federation also uses cornflower blue piping for generals' shoulder straps. Gold stars are provided for these services. The general's shoulder straps are characterized by a special texture: even the field uniform is equipped with shoulder straps embroidered with threads. This makes it possible to distinguish the three-star shoulder straps worn by the Colonel General from the shoulder straps of ensigns. They are fastened to clothing using a special clutch and a half-lash.
When wearing a black leather jacket, generals use shoulder straps - muffs.
What are the shoulder boards of police generals?
In their appearance, the general's epaulettes of the Ministry of Internal Affairs almost do not differ from the army ones. In the police, a postscript is added to the ranks of generals - not “army”, but “police”. Availability is foreseenranks:
- Police Major General;
- police lieutenant general;
- Police Colonel General.
Police General of Russia - a special rank of the highest commanding staff. This title can be obtained by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. To date, Kolokoltsev V. A. has received it. In the Ministry of the Interior, generals use epaulettes, on which large stars are sewn. There are no gaps on these shoulder straps.
2011 and 2014 police insignia
In 2011, the longitudinal center line of the police general's epaulette was equipped with four stars and a red piping. Embroidered stars had a diameter of 22 mm. In 2014, the size of the stars increased to 4 cm. The red piping remained the same.
It is not uncommon to find the tag of FSUE “43 TsEPK” of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the oldest Moscow enterprise engaged in individual tailoring of uniforms for senior officers, on the general's shoulder straps.
The generals of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Security Service, the FSO, the prosecutor's office and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia still use the running products of this enterprise.
