(russian: комбриг) is an abbreviation of Commanding officer of the brigade (russian: командир бригады, komandir brigady; ), and was a
military rank
Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in ...
in the
Soviet Armed Forces
The Soviet Armed Forces, the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union and as the Red Army (, Вооружённые Силы Советского Союза), were the armed forces of the Russian SFSR (1917–1922), the Soviet Union (1922–1991), and t ...
of the
USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nati ...
from 1935 to 1940. It was also the designation to military personnel appointed to command a
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
...
sized formation (X).
Until 1940 it was the fourth highest military rank of the Red Army. It was equivalent to ''Brigade comissar''
(ru: ) of the political staff in all military branches, ''Kapitan 1st rank''
(ru: ) in the ''Soviet navy'', or to ''Major of state security''
(ru: ). With the reintroduction of regular general ranks, the designation ''Kombrig'' was abolished, and replaced by
Major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
(OF-6).
History
This particular rank was introduced by disposal of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union and the Council of People's Commissars, from September 22, 1935.
[Decree of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union and the Council of People's Commissars, from September 22, 1935, on introduction of individual military rank designation to commanding personnel of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.]
The new rank structure was as follows:
* Command level
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
...
X: (Brigadier)
* Command level
Division XX: (Division commander)
* Command level
Corps
Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...
XXX: (Korps commander)
* Command level
Field army
A field army (or numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, composed of two or more corps and may be subordinate to an army group. Likewise, Air army, air armies are equivalent formation within some air forces, ...
XXXX:
''Komandarm'' 2nd rank (Army commander 2nd rank – Commander Army)
* Command level
Army group
An army group is a military organization consisting of several field armies, which is self-sufficient for indefinite periods. It is usually responsible for a particular geographic area. An army group is the largest field organization handled ...
,
Front XXXXX:
''Komandarm'' 1st rank (Army commander 1st rank – Frond commander)
*
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union (russian: Маршал Советского Союза, Marshal sovetskogo soyuza, ) was the highest military rank of the Soviet Union.
The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created in 1935 and abolished in 19 ...
Rank insignia
Red Army 1935 collar big kombrig.svg,
Red Army 1935 collar small kombrig.svg,
Red Air Force Kom Brig 1940 col.png,
RKKA 1935 chevron OF6 kombrig.svg,
See also
*
Ranks and rank insignia of the Red Army 1935–1940, and
... 1940–1943
References
Military ranks of the Soviet Union
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