For enthusiasts delving into the world of reenacting or collecting artifacts from the Soviet-Afghan War, acquiring a uniform often marks the first crucial step in embodying a specific persona or historical period. However, navigating the nuances of Soviet military attire during this conflict requires a keen eye for detail. Much like our comprehensive guide to Soviet weaponry in Afghanistan, this article aims to meticulously catalog the diverse uniforms utilized by Soviet forces. Here, “uniforms” broadly encompass all forms of outer garments, a categorization adopted for clarity in exploring the clothing landscape of the Soviet Afghan War.
Parade Uniforms: A Rare Sight in Afghanistan
While parade uniforms were part of the standard issue for Soviet soldiers and officers, their presence in Afghanistan was minimal. Parades within the Soviet contingent in Afghanistan predominantly featured personnel in their standard field uniforms, practical for the climate and operational demands. The wool-based parade uniform, designed for ceremonial occasions, was ill-suited to the Afghan heat. Maintaining its pristine condition in a field environment would also present considerable challenges. Nevertheless, soldiers and officers typically arrived in Afghanistan with a set of parade uniforms included in their initial kit.
Soldiers often reserved their parade uniforms for demobilization, sometimes adding personalized, often hand-made, embellishments to mark their service. Officers, while unlikely to wear the full parade uniform in everyday settings, also possessed parade dress blues. However, photographic evidence of parade dress blues in Afghanistan is scarce, leading to their exclusion from this list as they were not practically relevant to the conflict zone.
- Soldiers’ M69 parade uniform
- Officers’ everyday parade uniform
Everyday Field Uniform: The Iconic “Afghanka”
The everyday field uniform, designed for both combat operations and routine base activities, was by far the most ubiquitous and recognizable Soviet Afghanistan Uniform. Commonly known as “Afghanka,” this uniform type was worn across all branches and ranks of the Soviet military in Afghanistan. For many soldiers and officers, the Afghanka was the only uniform they would wear throughout their deployment.
From a reenactor’s or collector’s perspective, the Afghanka is the quintessential Soviet Afghanistan uniform and should be prioritized. While specialized uniforms like the Mabuta or dress uniforms for higher ranks might be desirable additions, the khaki field uniform is indispensable for portraying a Soviet soldier in Afghanistan accurately. Its absence would be conspicuously out of place in any reenactment or collection focusing on this conflict.
While older uniforms like the M43 Gymnasterka occasionally appear in photographs from the period, their presence was exceedingly rare by the 1980s. They are not representative of the standard Soviet Afghanistan uniform and should not be considered for typical reenactment purposes.
For colder conditions, several winter variations of the Soviet Afghanistan uniform existed:
- Enlisted men winter M69 uniform
- Officers’ M69 winter uniform
- Greycoat
- Experimental winter Afghanka
- Regular winter Afghanka
Overalls: Special Purpose Clothing in the Afghan Theater
The category of overalls encompasses a wide array of “special wear” that fell outside the formal “uniform” designation. The distinction, while subtle, lay in regulations. Soviet uniforms were governed by strict dress codes, particularly for parade and formal duties. Overalls, classified as special wear, theoretically had less rigid rules regarding their use. While regulations were more enforced in peacetime deployments, the realities of Afghanistan saw soldiers and officers frequently employing various overalls in operational settings, even when not strictly prescribed.
A primary driver for the widespread use of overalls was the limited supply of standard uniforms. The allocation of uniforms to military personnel was tightly controlled, making official replacements difficult to obtain. In the harsh Afghan environment, field uniforms could degrade rapidly within weeks. Consequently, soldiers often resorted to using overalls for which they were not strictly accountable, providing a practical solution to clothing shortages and wear and tear.
Common types of overalls used as Soviet Afghanistan uniform alternatives included:
- Parachute jumping overalls
- Tank crew overalls (black and yellow)
- Working suit
- KZS camouflage suit
- KLMK camouflage suit
- Mabuta suit – a general purpose uniform, sometimes considered an overall, notably used by GRU Spetsnaz – article about GRU uniforms
- Airforce technical overalls
- Gorka suit ver.0
- Gorka suit ver.1
Winter-specific special clothing also existed for similar reasons of practicality and availability:
- Parachute jumping winter set
- Tank crew winter overalls
- Winter work suit jacket
- Airforce winter jacket
Headgear: Completing the Soviet Afghanistan Uniform
Headgear is an indispensable component of virtually every military uniform, and the Soviet Army boasted a distinctive array of hats and caps. In Afghanistan, several types of headgear were prevalent, each serving specific purposes and climatic conditions.
- Panama hat – A lightweight, brimmed hat ideal for sun protection in the Afghan climate.
- Afghanka cap – A field cap specifically designed as part of the Afghanka uniform.
- Pilotka – A garrison cap, often worn in barracks and non-combat situations.
- Vizor cap (parade) – A formal peaked cap for parade uniforms.
- Vizor cap (field) – A field version of the peaked cap, less common than the Afghanka cap.
- Ushanka – A fur hat for extreme cold weather.
- Winter underhelmet balaclava – Worn under helmets in winter conditions for added warmth.
- Civilian sports hat – Informal hats, sometimes used for off-duty wear or in less formal settings.
Miscellaneous Clothing: Additional Items in the Soviet Soldier’s Kit
Beyond uniforms and overalls, Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan had access to supplementary clothing items. These items, while not always visible in outward appearances, were integral to comfort and functionality.
- Summer Underwear
- Demi seasonal underwear
- Winter Underwear
- Officer’s summer underwear
- Officer’s winter underwear
- Military pullover – A woolen pullover for extra warmth.
- Civilian pullover – Civilian-style pullovers, sometimes acquired or sent from home.
- Portyanki (foot wraps) – Traditional cloth foot wraps worn instead of socks inside boots.
- Local clothing – In some instances, soldiers might acquire or wear local Afghan clothing for various reasons, including blending in or for comfort in certain situations.
This guide provides a foundational overview of the Soviet Afghanistan uniform landscape. Further in-depth articles will explore specific uniform types and their historical contexts in greater detail, offering a comprehensive resource for collectors, reenactors, and anyone interested in the material history of the Soviet-Afghan War.
