RUSSIAN FEDERATION
 
icon88.gif (694 bytes)
 

NAVAL ENSIGNS, FLAGS & PENNANTS SINCE 1992
 
In 1992 the naval ensigns and flags of the Soviet Union were officially abolished and the historic Andrew Flag was readopted as the naval ensign of the Russian Federation. The former tsarist jack and fortress flag was also readopted but otherwise the new range of flags follows the previous Soviet pattern with the Cross of St. Andrew or the white-blue-red Russian tricolor replacing Soviet symbols. Exceptions are the Guards ensign and the honorary ensign for the cruiser Aurora, which continue to display the Soviet-era Guards Ribbon and Order of the Red Banner.
The flag of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy is the Andrew Flag charged with the state arms of Russia within a wreath; the same flag but with the arms replaced by crossed red "Admiralty" anchors, is flown by the Chief of Staff of the Navy. The other naval rank flags are the same as those used by the USSR, but with the Andrew Flag as a canton. Other senior officials and officers have appointment flags based on the appropriate ensign or jack.
The Border Service ensign displays the Cross of St. Andrew on a green field, while the ensign for vessels of the Ministry of the Interior was maroon with a canton of the Andrew Flag, these being the services' branch colors. In 2016 the Internal Troops of the Ministry of the Interior were reorganized as the National Guard; a new ensign and new flags were accordingly introduced. Both services use the naval jack. Some Border Service command flags were changed in 2003 when it became a branch of the Federal Security Service. Government vessels serving on fishery protection duties fly an ensign with a red field, a canton of the Russian tricolor and crossed yellow anchors in the lower fly.
Note: The flags on this page are only used afloat. Senior officials and officers also have standards for use ashore, a few based on the flags shown here but most of a different design.
Credits: Many of my drawings are based on images posted to the FOTW Mailing List by Zeljko Heimer and Joseph McMillan. Information was also taken from VEXILLOGRAPHIA, the outstanding website devoted to the historical and current flags of Russia and related countries.

Images Added December 2021

National Guard Ensign & Flags  •  Head of Border Service Flag  •  Border Guard & National Guard Commission Pennants
 

 

NAVAL ENSIGN  •  THE ANDREW FLAG

 

HONORARY ENSIGN
 SHIPS AWARDED THE TITLE GUARDS

  

HONORARY ENSIGN  •  CRUISER AURORA
 
 

NAVAL AUXILIARY ENSIGN
 

  

NAVAL AUXILIARY ENSIGN
 SEARCH & RESCUE VESSELS
 

BORDER SERVICE ENSIGN

  

NATIONAL GUARD ENSIGN SINCE 2016
 

MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR ENSIGN  •  1992-2016

  

FISHERY PROTECTION ENSIGN

 

JACK AND NAVAL FORTRESS FLAG

 

NAVAL COMMISSIONING PENNANT
 

BORDER SERVICE COMMISSIONING PENNANT
 

INTERNAL TROOPS COMMISSIONING PENNANT • 1992-2016
 

NATIONAL GUARD COMMISSIONING PENNANT

 

SENIOR OFFICIALS' FLAGS FOR USE AT SEA

 

PRESIDENT & COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES
 

MINISTER OF DEFENSE

  

CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMED FORCES
 

NAVAL COMMAND FLAGS
 

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE NAVY

  

CHIEF OF THE NAVAL GENERAL STAFF
 

 FLEET COMMANDER
 

  

COMMANDER
 SQUADRON OR DIVISION

  

COMMANDER
 FLOTILLA OR GROUP
 

BORDER SERVICE COMMAND FLAGS
 

COMMANDER OF THE BORDER SERVICE  •  1993-2003

  

 BORDER SERVICE NAVAL COMMANDER  1993-2003
 

FIRST DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE & HEAD OF THE BORDER SERVICE SINCE 2003
 

BORDER SERVICE
 DISTRICT COMMANDER

  

BORDER SERVICE
 DISTRICT NAVAL COMMANDER

  

BORDER SERVICE
 NAVAL GROUP COMMANDER
 

NATIONAL GUARD COMMAND FLAGS
 

DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL GUARD

  

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL GUARD
 

NATIONAL GUARD
MILITARY DISTRICT COMMANDER
 

  

NATIONAL GUARD
UNIT COMMANDER
 

  

NATIONAL GUARD
NAVAL UNIT COMMANDER
 

BACK to RUSSIA Page