(russian: комдив) is the abbreviation to Commanding officer of the Division (russian: командир дивизии, komandir divizii; ), 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 ...

in the period from 1935 to 1940. It was also the designation to military personnel appointed to command a division sized formation (XX). Until 1940, it was the fourth highest military rank of the Red Army, and was equivalent to Division commissar () of the political staff in all military branches, Flag Officer 2nd rank (russian: флагман 2-го ранга, Flagman 2-go ranga) in the Soviet navy, or to Senior major of state security (). With the reintroduction of regular general ranks in 1940, the designation was abolished, and replaced by

Lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...

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 komdiv.svg, Red Army 1935 collar small komdiv.svg, Red Air Force ComDiv 1940h.png, RKKA 1935 chevron OF7 komdiv.svg,

References

Military ranks of the Soviet Union {{Soviet-stub

History

Rank insignia

See also

References