Chief Marshal - Marshal

Marshal

The ranks of Marshal of the Aviation, Artillery and Armoured Troops branches were established on February 4, 1943 with a large, approximately 50mm wide, shoulder board star (the same star as the at-the-time equivalent rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union's shoulder board star). When the rank of Chief Marshal was established on October 27, 1943, the size of the shoulder board's stars for Marshals was made about 10mm smaller establishing the superiority of the Marshal of the Soviet Union insignia. Also, on October 27, 1943 the ranks of Marshal of the branches Engineer Troops and Signals were established. On the uniform tie, Marshals wore the marshal's star of the 2nd level.

In the branches, the rank of Colonel General was succeeded by the rank of Marshal of the branch. While the rank of Marshal of a branch was apparently equal to the one of General of the Army (who was only entitled to the four small shoulder board stars), the Marshals of branches had the marshal's star of the 2nd level on the tie and the large 40mm star on the shoulder boards, but the General of the Army had neither. Generals of the Army were given the 40mm star shoulder board and the marshal's star of the 2nd level on the tie in 1974.

Marshals of the branches were normally eligible for promotion to Chief Marshal of branch, however, neither was eligible for promotion to Marshal of the Soviet Union. After 1984, the rank of Marshal was preserved only in the Air Force and Artillery. Later, the rank of Marshal stopped being conferred even in these branches. The regulations of Russian Army, confirmed in 1993, unified the system of general ranks in all the branches: the ranks of Marshal of Artillery and Marshal of Aviation were replaced by the one of General of the Army/Army of Aviation, the ranks of Chief Marshal were canceled.

• Rank insignia