Military ranks of Ukraine

Military of Ukraine

Main branches Ukrainian Air Force Ukrainian Ground Forces Ukrainian Navy Other Corps Ukrainian Marine Corps Ukrainian Mechanized Forces Ukrainian Airmobile Forces Related Services Ministry of Defense General Staff Ministry of Internal Affairs National Space Agency Intelligence Security Service of Ukraine Foreign Intelligence Service Military Intelligence Service History of the Ukrainian Military History of Ukraine History of Ukraine during WWII History of Ukraine during WWI

The military ranks of Ukraine were created in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Ukrainian armed forces have two styles of ranks - Army, which is used by Ground forces and the Air Force, and Navy. Ukraine like the Russian Federation eliminated the descriptor "of Aviation" following the Air Force ranks. The rank of a serviceman of a Guards unit, formation or ship may be followed by the word “Guards.” The rank of a serviceman of the legal, medical or veterinary professions shall be followed by the words “of Justice,” “of the Medical service,” or “of the Veterinary service,” to their respective ranks. The rank of a citizen having reserve or retired status shall be followed by the words “Reserve” or “Retired,” respectively.^[1]

Current Ranks

General ranks

Category	Army rank (Ground forces, Air Force)	Navy Rank
Shoulder Insignia	Rank Name	Shoulder Insignia	Rank Name	Sleeve Insignia
Superior Officers Вищий офіцерський склад		General of Army of Ukraine Генерал армії України (Heneral armiyi Ukrayiny)		No equivalent
	General-Polkovnik Генерал-полковник (Heneral-polkovnyk)		Admiral Адмірал (Admiral)
	General-Lieutenant Генерал-лейтенант (Heneral-leytenant)		Vice-Admiral Віце-адмірал (Vitse-admiral)
	General-Major Генерал-майор (Heneral-mayor)		Counter-Admiral Контр-адмірал (Kontr-admiral)

Officer ranks

Category	Army rank (Ground forces, Air Force)	Navy Rank
Shoulder Insignia	Rank Name	Shoulder Insignia	Rank Name	Sleeve Insignia
Senior Officers Старший офіцерський склад		Polkovnik (Colonel) Полковник (Polkovnyk)		Captain, 1st rank Капітан 1-го рангу (Kapitan 1-ho ranhu)
	Podpolkovnik (Lieutenant Colonel) Підполковник (Pidpolkovnyk)		Captain, 2nd rank Капітан 2-го рангу (Kapitan 2-ho ranhu)
	Major Майор (Mayor)		Captain, 3rd rank Капітан 3-го рангу (Kapitan 3-ho ranhu)
Junior Officers Молодший офіцерський склад		Captain Капітан (Kapitan)		Captain-Lieutenant Капітан-лейтенант (Kapitan-leytenant)
	Senior Lieutenant Старший лейтенант (Starshiy leytenant)		Senior Lieutenant Старший лейтенант (Starshiy leytenant)
	Lieutenant Лейтенант (Leytenant)		Lieutenant Лейтенант (Leytenant)
	Junior Lieutenant Молодший лейтенант (Molodshiy leytenant)		Junior Lieutenant Молодший лейтенант (Molodshiy leytenant)

Warrant officer and enlisted ranks

Category	Army rank (Ground forces, Air Force)	Navy Rank
Shoulder Insignia	Rank Name	Shoulder Insignia	Rank Name	Sleeve Insignia
Sergeants and Starshinas Сержантсько-старшинський склад		Senior Praporshchik (Senior Warrant Officer) Старший прапорщик (Starshiy praporshchyk)		Senior Midshipman Старший мічман (Starshiy michman)	no sleeve insignia
	Praporshchik (Warrant Officer) Прапорщик (Praporshchyk)		Midshipman Мічман (Michman)	no sleeve insignia
	Starshina (Master Sergeant) Старшина (Starshyna)		Chief Ship Starshina Головний корабельний старшина (Holovnyy korabel’nyy starshyna)	no sleeve insignia
	Senior Sergeant Старший сержант (Starshiy Serzhant)		Chief Starshina Головний старшина (Holovnyy starshyna)	no sleeve insignia
	Sergeant Сержант (Serzhant)		Starshina, 1st class Старшина 1-ої статті (Starshyna 1-oyi statti)	no sleeve insignia
	Junior Sergeant Молодший сержант (Molodshiy serzhant)		Starshina, 2nd class Старшина 2ої статті (Starshyna 2-oyi statti)	no sleeve insignia
Privates Рядовий склад		Senior Soldier Старший солдат (Starshiy soldat)		Senior Matrose Старший матрос (Starshiy matros)	no sleeve insignia
	Soldier Солдат (Soldat)		Matrose Матрос (Matros)	no sleeve insignia

History of Ukrainian military ranks

The first half of the twentieth century

Category	Ranks of the Army of the UNR	Rank of the UGA, 1918	Ranks of the UIA (УПА)	Rank of the Ukrainian Soviet Army, 1919	Equivalent rank (USA)
Collar Insignia[2]	Army Rank, 1920	Naval Rank, 1918	Army Rank, 1944	Naval Rank, 1944
General Starshina or Generals Генеральна старшина	-	No equivalent	No equivalent	No equivalent	No equivalent	Admiral of the Fleet Адмірал флоту (Admiral flotu)	Commander of the Front Комфронта (Komfronta)	General of the Army and Fleet Admiral
	General-Polkovnik Генерал-полковник (Heneral-polkovnyk)	Admiral Адмірал (Admiral)	General-Sotnik Генерал-сотник (Heneral-sotnyk)	General-Polkovnik Генерал-полковник (Heneral-polkovnyk)	Admiral Адмірал (Admiral)	Commandarm Командарм (Komandarm)	General and Admiral
	General-Poruchik Генерал-поручник (Heneral-poruchyk)	Vice-Admiral Віце-адмірал (Vitse-admiral)	General-Poruchik Генерал-поручник (Heneral-poruchyk)	General-Major Генерал-майор (Heneral-mayor)	Vice-Admiral Віце-адмірал (Vitse-admiral)	Comcor Комкор (Komkor)	Lieutenant General and Vice Admiral
	General-Chorąży Генерал-хорунжий (Heneral-Khorunzhiy)	Counter-Admiral Контр-адмірал (Kontr-admiral)	General-Chotar Генерал-чотар (Heneral-chotar)	Counter-Admiral Контр-адмірал (Kontr-admiral)	Comdiv Комдив (Komdiv)	Major General and Rear Admiral (upper half)
General-Chorąży Генерал-хорунжий (Heneral-Khorunzhiy)	Combrig Комбриг (Kombrig)	Brigadier General and Rear Admiral (lower half)
Bulawa Starshina or Mace Officers Булавна старшина		Polkovnik Полковник (Polkovnyk)	Captain, 1st rank Капітан 1-го рангу (Kapitan 1-ho ranhu)	Polkovnik Полковник (Polkovnyk)	Polkovnik Полковник (Polkovnyk)	Captain-Lieutenant Капітан-лейтенант (Kapitan-leytenant)	Regiment Commander or Polkovnik Комполка or Полковник (Kompolka or Polkovnik)	Colonel and Captain
	Sub-Polkovnik Підполковник (Pidpolkovnyk)	Captain, 2nd rank Капітан 2-го рангу (Kapitan 2-ho ranhu)	Sub-Polkovnik Підполковник (Pidpolkovnyk)	Sub-Polkovnik Підполковник (Pidpolkovnyk)	Combat Комбат (Kombat)	Lieutenant Colonel and Commander
Ataman Отаман (Otaman)	Major Майор (Mayor)	Assistant of Combat Помкомбат (Pomkombat)	Major and Lieutenant Commander
Junior Starshina or Junior Officers Молодша старшина		Sotnik Сотник (Sotnyk)	Senior Lieutenant Старший лейтенант (Starshiy leytenant)	Sotnik Сотник (Sotnyk)	Sotnik Сотник (Sotnyk)	Senior Lieutenant Старший лейтенант (Starshiy leytenant)	Company Commander Комроты (Komroty)	Captain and Lieutenant
	Poruchik Поручник (Poruchyk)	Poruchik Поручник (Poruchyk)	Poruchik Поручник (Poruchyk)	Lieutenant Лейтенант (Leytenant)	Assistant of Company Commander Помкомроты (Pomkomroty)	First Lieutenant and Lieutenant (junior grade)
	Chorąży Хорунжий (Khorunzhiy)	Lieutenant Лейтенант (Leytenant)	Chotar Чотар (Chotar)	Chorąży Хорунжий (Khorunzhiy)	Junior Lieutenant Молодший лейтенант (Molodshiy leytenant)	Platoon Commander Комвзвода (Komvzvoda)	Second Lieutenant and Ensign
Chorąży Хорунжий (Khorunzhiy)
Sub-starshina or Sub-Officers Підстаршина		Sub-Chorąży Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhiy)	Midshipman Мічман (Michman)	Sub-Chorąży Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhiy)	Sub-Chorąży Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhiy)	Sub-Chorąży Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhiy)	Starshina Старшина (Starshina)
	Bunchuzhniy Бунчужний (Bunchuzhniy)	Mace Senior Dean Булавний старший десятник (Bulavniy starshiy desiatnyk)	Bunchuzhniy Бунчужний (Bunchuzhniy)
	Chotoviy Чотовий (Chotoviy)	Senior Dean Старший десятник (Starshiy desiatnyk)	Chotoviy Чотовий (Chotoviy)	Senior Dean Старший десятник (Starshiy desiatnyk)	Assistant of Platoon Commander Помкомвзвода (Pomkomvzvoda)
	Royoviy Ройовий (Royoviy)	Dean Десятник (Desiatnyk)	Royoviy Ройовий (Royoviy)	Dean Десятник (Desiatnyk)	Squad Commander Комот (Komot)
Herald Вістун (Vistun)
Cossacks/Sailors/Privates Козаки/Моряки/Рядовики		Gurtoviy Гуртовий (Hurtkoviy)	Ship Garde-marine Корабельний ґардемарин (Korabelniy gardemaryn)	Senior Rifleman or Senior Strelet Старший стрілець (Starshiy strilets)	Senior Cossack Старший козак (Starshiy kozak)	Matrose-Herald Матрос-вістун (Matros-vistun)	Redarmyman Красноармеец (Krasnoarmeyets)	Private First Class
	Cossack Козак (Kozak)	Rifleman or Strelet Стрілець (Strilets)	Cossack Козак (Kozak)	Matrose Матрос (Matros)	Private

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  Ukrainian Naval uniforms (1918)

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  Ukrainian Naval Insignia (1918)

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  Insignia of the Hutsulian Marine Regiment (1920)

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  Insignia of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (1943-1944)

Modern Ukraine

The independent Ukraine inherited the ranks of the Soviet Union. But there were some changes. The rank of "Єфрейтор" (Efreitor) was changed to the "Senior soldier" and the rank of Private was changed to the "Soldier". Also, Marshall ranks and the Category of Praporshchyks/Midshipmen were abolished.

New insignia of 2009

The first graduates of the Training Centre for Sergeants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kharkiv at once became the first professional sergeants, who clothed shoulder straps with an fundamentally new insignia.^[3]

The new insignia of the Ground forces and the Air Force of Ukraine (from General of the Army to Senior Soldier)	The new insignia of the Ukrainian Naval Force (from Admiral to Junior Lieutenant)

This innovation is aimed at the NATO standards. Until 2009, Ukrainian soldiers used a military rank insignia of the Soviet model. Before the innovation, for example, a Ukrainian Major General could be confused with an ordinary Major, as they both had only one star on the Soviet straps. The new straps of Major General have two stars, like in the most NATO countries.^[4] Also, the new system of military insignia makes possible to introduce new ranks, such as Brigade General and new types of Sergeant. New straps of generals have crossed maces (bulawas), which are kleinods (regalia) of Hetman, Colonel and Otaman of the Host.

Sergeant Major (the post of Chief Sergeant)

Chief Sergeant of a branch of the armed forces is a projected post in Ukraine. The Chief Sergeant is a person who know almost all issues what relate to non-commissioned officers. Therefore, the Chief Sergeant of a branch of the armed forces may be adviser to the head of the appropriate level - for example, the Commander of Land Forces of Ukraine. Now, the Ministry of Defence is working to change the statute and, possibly, the new post will be introduced in three or four years.^[5] In Airmobile units there is also posts of Chief Sergeant of the Division and Chief Sergeant of the Brigade.

See also

• Military ranks of the Soviet Union
• Ukrainian Armed Forces branch insignia

References

• ВІЙСЬКОВІ ЗВАННЯ ТА ВІЙСЬКОВІ РАНГИ ЗБРОЙНИХ ФОРМУВАНЬ УКРАЇНИ
• Ukrainian Armed Forces 2007 White Book p.53
• www.tridentmilitary.com
• www.uniforminsignia.net