FM 1-02.

Pоссия
OVERVIEW OF RUSSIAN TACTICAL GRAPHICS

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OCTOBER 2022
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 General Concepts
This is a summary of Russian graphics. Due my not speaking Russian, this heavily relies on “The Russian
Way of War” from Army University Press, keys from books like “The Bear Went Over The Mountain”, and
message boards from ~2005 which probably gave me several computer viruses.

”The Russian Way of War” should be required reading for anyone wanting to learn about the Russian
military and can be found at [Army University Press Link]

From the Russian perspective, friendly combat forces are RED, friendly support troops are BLACK, and
enemy forces are BLUE. This is convenient as to both NATO and Russian viewers, NATO aligned troops are
depicted as blue. Unit numbers and additional information is annotated beside or inside unit areas.

Headquarters Icons

Army Corps Division Brigade Regiment Battalion

Unlike NATO graphics, how the unit is depicted depends on whether the unit is attacking, defending, or in
transit.

The following symbols to indicate echelon/size of a unit and can also refer specifically to the commander:

Battalion Company Platoon Squad Observation Post Battalion Commander’s

Observation Post

Control Measures / Unit Location Icons

A Unit Attacking A Unit Defending A Unit Withdrawing
Thin red line
Direction of depicts unit’s AO
Attack
Line matches the Direction of
frontage covered Direction of Unit ID/HQ Direction of Movement
Ar ica
in

by the unit Enemy depicted here Enemy

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Subsequent Positions in the Attack A Unit Firing/ A Unit Moving

Deployment Line

Arrow has 3 lines

indicating a battalion Direction of
Movement

Arrow has 2 lines indicating a company

The Unit’s Follow-On Objective The Unit’s Objective
 Vehicle Icons
Vehicle icons are used both to depict individual vehicles and are also used to identify the type of unit being
depicted. Red indicates combat vehicles, black indicates support vehicles.

Generic Vehicle Icons (Examples In Parenthesis):

Tank Fighting Light Armor Support Vehicle Support Vehicle Support Vehicle Trucks
Vehicle or Truck on Tank Chassis on IFV Chassis on Light Armored
(BMP) (BRDM) (ZSU 23-4) (Artillery Recon Chassis
BMP) (AT BRDM)

Common Vehicle Modifiers:

(Outside The Icon)
Echelon Recovery Anti-Tank Trailer Plow Amphibious

Examples:

CO CDR’s Tank Heavy Recovery Vehicle AT BMP BRDM w/ Trailer Tank w/ Mine Plow Amphibious Tank

Common Vehicle Modifiers: Various

(Inside The Icon) Weapon
Systems
Infantry Squad Reconnaissance Medical Artillery Observer
(see next page)

Examples:

BMP w/ Infantry Squad Reconnaissance Vehicle Medical Vehicle Artillery Reconnaissance

Vehicle

Additional Vehicles:

Motorcycle Helicopter Attack Helicopter UAS (short range) UAS (medium range)

Vehicle Icons as Unit Icons:

Vehicle icons are combined with control measures to indicate they type of unit conducting the task.

Tank Company Movement

BMP Infantry Battalion Attack Armor Unit Defense

 Machine
Weapon Icons
Light Machine Gun (RPK)
Guns

Generic AA Gun

Company Machine Gun (PKM)

Small Caliber AA Gun
Handheld Rocket (RPG-7)
Launchers
Grenade

Large Caliber AA Gun

Air Defense
Automatic(AGS-17)

Recoilless AT (SPG-9) Generic AA Missile

Generic Howitzer
<10km (Tunguska)
Howitzers

Howitzer up to 122mm
10-30km (Tor)
Howitzer up to 155mm

Howitzer over 155mm 30-100 km (S-300)

Generic AT Gun Missiles Tactical Missile

(Scud)
AT Gun up to 85mm
Anti-Tank

Tactical/Operational Missile
100mm AT Gun (Iskander)

AT Gun over 100mm Generic or Small MLRS (Grad)

Multiple Rocket
Launchers

Portable ATGM
Medium MLRS (Uragan)

Generic Mortar
Large MLRS (Smerch)
Mortars

Flamethrowers

Light
(Thermobaric)

Mortar up to 100mm

Heavy (TOS-1)

Mortar over 100mm

Many of these icons can be combined with a vehicle icon to depict a self-propelled weapon.
NOTE: RED icons are considered combat systems while black are considered support systems.

Examples:

SPG 2S9 Nona 9K35 Strela-10 TOS-1 ZSU 23-4

NOTE: Icon seems to be based on the chassis, not based on the level of armor protection.
 Motorized Rifle (BMP) Platoon Graphics

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Additional Common Symbols and Examples

Mortar Firing Artillery Firing

Position Position

Three Tank Platoons

Advancing On Line
SPG Battalion in Firing
Positions
SPG Unit In Mortar Unit In
Firing Position Firing Position

(unit ID)

Air Assault
Landing Zone

Infantry Battalion In Motorized Rifle Battalion (BMP)

Defensive Position In Defensive Position