Military ranks Shoigu. What is the rank of Defense Minister Shoigu now?

A large gold star on the epaulettes of the defense minister makes many think that the military rank of Shoigu is a marshal (such is the tradition brought up by the long "one-star" Soviet marshals in newsreels, feature films, military photo albums). In fact, the head of the power department has been in the rank of general of the army since 2003. Marshal's star on military shoulder straps of this level, President Putin determined by his decree most recently - in 2013.

Marshal of the Russian Federation and the army general's motions - what's the difference?

The second symbol, located closer to the collar of the tunic, - the red star in the wreath - indicates the military rank of the army general. Then follows that same gold, in appearance marshal, it has a diameter of forty millimeters. The same is embroidered on shoulder straps of the admiral of the fleet. The marshal of the Russian Federation at the same size of the only big star above it houses the emblem of the Russian Federation, the two-headed eagle.

The stars on the epaulets of the lower generals are half the diameter - 20 millimeters. Earlier, until February 2013, the military rank of Shoigu allowed him to wear four such asterisks. Three to this day, the epaulettes of the colonel-general are decorated, two are Lieutenant-General, one is Major-General.

Twinkling of the marshal's stars

The four-star general's shoulder straps were legalized in 1943. For the same military rank in the thirty-four-year period, beginning in 1974, a large marshal's star was provided. This is how it was perceived by the people's consciousness, brought up on the newsreels of the Great Victory. Then, in 1993, the cancellation of the military rank of marshal for the branches of service followed , and in 1997 Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin signed a decree on the return of the tradition of wartime - to place on the shoulder straps of the army general four stars.

The title of Marshal of the Russian Federation by the 1997 reform was not abolished. However, from that time until now, it has never been appropriated to anyone (like the Stalin's generalissimo, which was listed in the statutes until 1993, but not inherited by anyone).

The military rank of Shoigu is now higher than that of the Russian president and the Queen of England!

President Putin, dressed in uniform, wears the modest shoulder straps of the colonel (the rank in which he was dismissed from the KGB, now the FSB). So Shoigu's formally military rank is higher than that of the president. But the post of commander-in-chief of the Russian armed forces is a priority.

Let us recall that Emperor Nicholas II also led the state in the rank of colonel. This same title is worn by all the functioning monarchs of Great Britain (not excluding the imposing Elizabeth II, "attached" to the Horse Guards regiment).

Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is also a reserve colonel. With respect to the mutual "veneration" of the prime minister and the president - absolutely equal tandem. To greet each other on occasion they can as equals in rank.

Sergei Kuzhugetovich's unprecedented career

To obtain the current rank on the length of service , according to the Regulations on the Procedure of Military Service (Article 22), it is necessary to stay in the army ranks (having joined them as an ordinary soldier) for at least 30 years. From the receipt of the lieutenant (the military rank of Defense Minister Shoigu, in which he retired in 1977) - at least 26 years. That is how much it went through the calendar until 2003, when on May 7 he became the army general.

Surprising is that Major-General Sergei Kuzhugetovich became April 26, 1993, while at the time of service, according to the existing order, only the shoulder straps ... of the senior lieutenant, at best - the captain relied on (he again entered the military service In 1991). If the officer had continuously and as successfully as possible ascended the army hierarchy, by this time he could have reached the rank of colonel. Either Boris Yeltsin "confused" the title, or the merits to the country are so great, but many military ranks Shoigu "slipped through the transit."

The rank of Lieutenant Segei Kuzhugetovich was awarded at the end of the military department of the Krasnoyarsk Polytechnic. All the sergeant's steps connected with the urgent army service, he safely passed. Thus, Shoigu's military ranks form a dizzily short chain of only five links - from the lieutenant to the successive generalships.

General Steps

In this part of the ascension on the official ladder, the recommendations of the Army Regulations were formally observed: two years later, on May 5, 1995, Shoigu became a Major-General, three and a half years later, on December 8, 1998, Colonel-General. Since May 7, 2003, the military ranks of Shoigu have "stalled" at the high level of the army general. Actually, it would be illogical to appropriate a higher marshal's rank to the head of the ministry under the Colonel-General of the president himself.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin eschews the army pomposity that Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin did not neglect at the time. Rumors of the marshal's conferring on the president of the Russian Federation turned out to be premature. Moreover, it is unlikely that the rank of Generalissimo or Field Marshal will be revived in Russia (both perceived purely as belonging to history). Therefore, the existing situation is likely to last at least until the end of the presidency of the current head of state.

Do you expect "supernova explosions"?

It seems that the very phrase "Army General" is very well received and has a wide semantic overtones: the leader of the entire Russian army, of all the armed forces. So, probably, in the near future new military ranks Shoigu in his brilliantly short track record will not appear.

But what will happen if Sergei Kuzhugetovich decides to run for presidency for the next term with the approval of the leading parliamentary party and with the blessing of his charismatic predecessor? This prospect is very likely, the transition from the management of the forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations to the leadership of the army is one of the indirect signs of the "passing figure" of the future candidate.

Moving to the next level, raising the status to the presidential one can serve the adoption of a state decision on the appropriation of S.K. Shoigu marshal's rank. And then a double-headed eagle, the coat of arms of the Russian Federation, appears above the embroidered star on a pommel with a diameter of 40 mm.