Military ranks of Ukraine

The military ranks of Ukraine were created in March of 1992 after adopting the law of Ukraine "About Universal Military Duty and Military Service". The rank structure corresponds the generic military rank structure of the Soviet Union. Ukrainian armed forces have two styles of ranks - army, which is used by ground forces as well as aerial forces, and naval - the Ukrainian 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]

Ukraine also added ranks the general of Army of Ukraine as well as admiral of Ukrainian Navy.

Current ranks

General and flag officer ranks

	Army rank (Ground Forces, Air Force)		Navy rank
	Shoulder insignia	Rank name	Shoulder insignia	Rank name	Sleeve insignia
OF-9		General of Army of Ukraine Генерал армії України (Heneral armii Ukrainy)	No equivalent
OF-8		General-polkovnik Генерал-полковник (Heneral-polkovnyk)		Admiral Адмірал (Admiral)
OF-7		General-lieutenant Генерал-лейтенант (Heneral-leitenant)		Vice-admiral Віце-адмірал (Vitse-admiral)
OF-6		General-major Генерал-майор (Heneral-maior)		Counter-admiral Контр-адмірал (Kontr-admiral)

Officer ranks

	Army rank (Ground Forces, Air Force)		Navy rank
	Shoulder insignia	Rank name	Shoulder insignia	Rank name	Sleeve insignia
	Senior officers (Старший офіцерський склад)
OF-5		Polkovnik (colonel) Полковник (Polkovnyk)		Captain, 1st rank Капітан 1-го рангу (Kapitan 1-ho ranhu)
OF-4		Pidpolkovnik (lieutenant colonel) Підполковник (Pidpolkovnyk)		Captain, 2nd rank Капітан 2-го рангу (Kapitan 2-ho ranhu)
OF-3		Major Майор (Maior)		Captain, 3rd rank Капітан 3-го рангу (Kapitan 3-ho ranhu)
	Junior officers (Молодший офіцерський склад)
OF-2		Captain Капітан (Kapitan)		Captain-lieutenant Капітан-лейтенант (Kapitan-leitenant)
OF-1		Senior lieutenant Старший лейтенант (Starshyi leitenant)		Senior lieutenant Старший лейтенант (Starshyi leitenant)
		Lieutenant Лейтенант (Leitenant)		Lieutenant Лейтенант (Leitenant)
		Junior lieutenant Молодший лейтенант (Molodshyi leitenant)		Junior lieutenant Молодший лейтенант (Molodshyi leitenant)

Enlisted ranks

	Army rank (Ground Forces, Air Force)		Navy rank
	Shoulder insignia	Rank name	Shoulder insignia	Rank name
	Sergeants and starshinas (Сержантсько-старшинський склад)
OR-9		Senior praporshchik (sergeant major) Старший прапорщик (Starshyi praporshchyk)		Senior midshipman Старший мічман (Starshyi michman)
OR-9		Praporshchik (master sergeant) Прапорщик (Praporshchyk)		midshipman Мічман (Michman)
OR-8		Starshina (first sergeant) Старшина (Starshyna)		Chief ship starshina Головний корабельний старшина (Holovnyy korabelnyi starshyna)
OR-7		Senior sergeant (sergeant first class) Старший сержант (Starshyi serzhant)		Chief starshina Головний старшина (Holovnyi starshyna)
OR-6		Sergeant (staff sergeant) Сержант (Serzhant)		Starshina, 1st class Старшина 1-ої статті (Starshyna 1-oi statti)
OR-4		Junior sergeant (sergeant) Молодший сержант (Molodshyi serzhant)		Starshina, 2nd class Старшина 2ої статті (Starshyna 2-oi statti)
	Privates (Рядовий склад)
OR-2		Senior soldier Старший солдат (Starshyi soldat)		Senior matrose Старший матрос (Starshyi matros)
OR-1		Soldier Солдат (Soldat)		Matros] Матрос (Matros)

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)
Category	Collar insignia^[2]	Army rank, 1920	Naval rank, 1918	Rank of the UGA, 1918	Army rank, 1944	Naval rank, 1944	Rank of the Ukrainian Soviet Army, 1919	Equivalent rank (USA)
General officers Генеральна старшина general starshina	-	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
		Colonel general Генерал-полковник (Heneral-polkovnyk)	Admiral Адмірал (admiral)	Centurion general Генерал-сотник (Heneral-sotnyk)	Colonel general Генерал-полковник (Heneral-polkovnyk)	Admiral Адмірал (admiral)	Army commander Командарм (Komandarm)	General and admiral
		Lieutenant general Генерал-поручник (Heneral-poruchyk)	Vice-admiral Віце-адмірал (Vitse-admiral)	Lieutenant general Генерал-поручник (Heneral-poruchyk)	General major Генерал-майор (Heneral-mayor)	Vice-admiral Віце-адмірал (Vitse-admiral)	Corps commander Комкор (Komkor)	Lieutenant general and vice admiral
		Ensign general Генерал-хорунжий (Heneral-Khorunzhiy)	Counter-admiral Контр-адмірал (Kontr-admiral)	Platoon general Генерал-чотар (Heneral-chotar)	General major Генерал-майор (Heneral-mayor)	Counter-admiral Контр-адмірал (Kontr-admiral)	Division commander Комдив (Komdiv)	Major general and rear admiral (upper half)
		Ensign general Генерал-хорунжий (Heneral-Khorunzhiy)	Counter-admiral Контр-адмірал (Kontr-admiral)	Platoon general Генерал-чотар (Heneral-chotar)	Ensign general Генерал-хорунжий (Heneral-Khorunzhiy)	Counter-admiral Контр-адмірал (Kontr-admiral)	Brigade commander Комбриг (Kombrig)	Brigadier general and rear admiral (lower half)
Mace officers Булавна старшина Bulawa Starshina		Colonel Полковник (Polkovnyk)	Captain, 1st rank Капітан 1-го рангу (Kapitan 1-ho ranhu)	Colonel Полковник (Polkovnyk)	Colonel Полковник (Polkovnyk)	Captain-lieutenant Капітан-лейтенант (Kapitan-leytenant)	Regiment commander or Polkovnik Комполка or Полковник (Kompolka or Polkovnik)	Colonel and Captain
		Sub-colonel Підполковник (Pidpolkovnyk)	Captain, 2nd rank Капітан 2-го рангу (Kapitan 2-ho ranhu)	Sub-colonel Підполковник (Pidpolkovnyk)	Sub-colonel Підполковник (Pidpolkovnyk)		Battalion commander Комбат (Kombat)	Lieutenant colonel and commander
		Sub-colonel Підполковник (Pidpolkovnyk)		Ataman Отаман (Otaman)	Major Майор (Mayor)		Battalion commander assistant Помкомбат (Pomkombat)	Major and Lieutenant commander
Junior officers Молодша старшина Junior Starshina		Centurion Сотник (Sotnyk)	Senior lieutenant Старший лейтенант (Starshiy leytenant)	Centurion Сотник (Sotnyk)	Centurion Сотник (Sotnyk)	Senior lieutenant Старший лейтенант (Starshiy leytenant)	Company commander Комроты (Komroty)	Captain and lieutenant
		Lieutenant Поручник (Poruchyk)		Lieutenant Поручник (Poruchyk)	Lieutenant Поручник (Poruchyk)	Lieutenant Лейтенант (Leytenant)	Company commander assistant Помкомроты (Pomkomroty)	First lieutenant and lieutenant (junior grade)
		Ensign Хорунжий (Khorunzhiy)	Lieutenant Лейтенант (Leytenant)	Chotar Чотар (Chotar)	Ensign Хорунжий (Khorunzhiy)	Junior lieutenant Молодший лейтенант (Molodshiy leytenant)	Platoon commander Комвзвода (Komvzvoda)	Second lieutenant and ensign
		Ensign Хорунжий (Khorunzhiy)	Lieutenant Лейтенант (Leytenant)	Ensign Хорунжий (Khorunzhiy)	Ensign Хорунжий (Khorunzhiy)		Platoon commander Комвзвода (Komvzvoda)	Second lieutenant and ensign
Sub-officers Підстаршина sub-starshina		Sub-ensign Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhiy)	Midshipman Мічман (Michman)	Sub-ensign Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhiy)	Sub-ensign Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhiy)	Sub-ensign Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhiy)	Starshina Старшина (Starshina)	Sergeant major
		Brigadier Бунчужний (Bunchuzhnyi)		Mace senior dean Булавний старший десятник (Bulavniy starshiy desiatnyk)	Bunchuzhniy Бунчужний (Bunchuzhniy)	Sub-ensign Підхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhiy)	Starshina Старшина (Starshina)	First sergeant
		Platoon leader Чотовий (Chotovyi)		Senior dean Старший десятник (Starshiy desiatnyk)	Platoon leader Чотовий (Chotovyi)	Senior dean Старший десятник (Starshiy desiatnyk)	Assistant of platoon commander Помкомвзвода (Pomkomvzvoda)	Sergeant first class
		Squad leader Ройовий (Royovyi)		Dean Десятник (Desiatnyk)	Squad leader Ройовий (Royovyi)	Dean Десятник (Desiatnyk)	Squad commander Комот (Komot)	Sergeant
		Squad leader Ройовий (Royovyi)		Dean Десятник (Desiatnyk)	Herald Вістун (Vistun)	Dean Десятник (Desiatnyk)	Squad commander Комот (Komot)	Sergeant
Cossacks, sailors, privates Козаки/Моряки/Рядовики		Team leader Гуртковий (Hurtkovyi)	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
Cossacks, sailors, privates Козаки/Моряки/Рядовики		Cossack Козак (Kozak)		Rifleman or strelet Стрілець (Strilets)	Cossack Козак (Kozak)	Matrose Матрос (Matros)	Redarmyman Красноармеец (Krasnoarmeyets)	Private

Ukrainian Naval uniforms (1918)
Ukrainian Naval insignia (1918)
Insignia of the Hutsulian Marine Regiment (1920)
Insignia of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (1943-1944)

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 experimental 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 a 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 was 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.

These experimental insignia never came into wide use and were abandoned shortly afterwards. Up until 2015 the Armed Forces kept using the Soviet-style insignia and rank system, albelt in the case of the Ground Forces and the Air Force the old insignia stayed with the officer corps while 2009 proposal for NCO insignia gained wider acceptance and thus replaced the Soviet insignia.

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 are also posts of chief sergeant of the division and chief sergeant of the brigade.

Sleeve patch
Sleeve patch for chief sergeant of the 1st Airmobile Division
Sleeve patch for chief sergeant of the 25th Airborne Brigade (ver. 1)
Sleeve patch for chief sergeant of the 25th Airborne Brigade (ver. 2)
Sleeve patch for chief sergeant of the Airmobile Forces

2015 reforms

Late July 2015 the President Petro Poroshenko stated that Ukraine needed to introduce new military ranks that meet Ukrainian military traditions "and corresponds to the structure of NATO military ranks".^[6] Still, the proposed system just replicates the Soviet hierarchy of military ranks and has no relation to the NATO system whatsoever - the only innovation being of a purely decorative charater, namely, the appearance and composition of the shoulder strap insignia.

This reform will, at long last, bring the rank insignia of the Ukrainian armed forces in line with the rank systems of its NATO partners and the rest of the world, while also, if successful, bring it also to the traditions of Cossacks in Ukraine and the Ukrainian independence armies, the Ukrainian People's Army of the Russian Civil War and the Ukrainian War of Independence and the Second World War-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army.^[7]

Project of the new insignia of the ground forces and the Air Force of Ukraine (Old ranks system)	Project of the new insignia of the ground forces and the Air Force of Ukraine (Expanded ranks system)

While option 1 uses the old system but with new other ranks insignia, option 2 uses a US-style insignia for enlisted ranks and NCOs plus the Brigadier general rank. In both cases, all officers use pips while the General of the Army of Ukraine has the crossed Bulawa as insignia. Early proposals had the General of the Army shoulder insignia to use the state coat of arms.

A future rank and rating insignia system is expected to be designed for the Ukrainian Navy in the coming weeks.

Since the chief sergeant position is now official, it is expected that new insignia for Air Force and Navy equivalents will be done later.

References

[1] Template:Uk icon The Law of Ukraine, On General Military Duty and Military Service

[2] Ukrainian People's Army - collar insignia

[3] Український міліарний портал

[4] Комсомольская правда, Украина

[5] Template:Uk icon www.unian.net

[6] Poroshenko wants to introduce new Ukrainian military ranks, UNIAN (27 July 2015)

[7] Украинская армия не должна выглядеть огрызком советской, — Виталий Гайдукевич, (3 August 2015)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]