Red Beret

[marcotk]

Dear Members,

I am having troubles IDing this one. Is it the "red" of the MChS (Ministery of Extreme Situations?) or "red" of the Special Forces? Or something else?
Also, I never saw this gvardia badge (Always saw the one with the Star shaped end on the left). What info can we get looking at this pic? Also, on your guess, is it post 91 or sovet?

100_1194.JPG

Thanks!
Marco

[Al-muell]

MChS uses orange I think.
Before 1991 nobody used red berets. Looks like post 91 military or commercial beret with insignia nad flag (looks like commercial dembel stuff) added later.

[marcotk]

Thanks!

[centaur32]

It looks like a 'private purchase' red beret. What screems FAKE is the fact that there is both USSR and Russian Federation insignia mixed on the same piece of headgear. I'd say.......WALK AWAY. FAST!!!

[desantnik]

This was worn by a grief-stricken KGB-Border Guard-spetsnaz-airborne guy after a night of remorseful drinking when he couldn't find his green arm patch. For all you skeptics out there - prove it didn't happen.

Actually, the MVD spetsnaz began wearing such red/crimson berets before the break up of the Soviet Union. I have a magazine article somewhere from the '89-'90 era that showed MVD spetsnaz in KMK camouflage doing group martial arts and also in close combat gear storming a mock-up of a bus and airplane. The berets in which they prided themselves were described as krapovii, for which I haven't been able to find a decent translation - I think I saw somewhere "mottled", which doesn't necessarily correspond with red or crimson(?). The present day Russian-language monthly magazine Bratishka is dedicated to MVD spetsnaz and often features pictures of present and veteran members wearing such crimson colored headgear. From what I've read it is apparently a difficult selection process and the berets must be earned.

The beret may be genuine Soviet/Russian manufacture and I think the mix of insignia was subsequently added. Of course anything is possible...

[marcotk]

Thank you centaur, do not worry, my collecting interest couldn't be more far away..!

Paul, Thanks a lot for the info!! Indeed I remember to see something like this somewhere.. but of course when you look for something, you never find it!

However the krapovii looks like something rare.. So like usually I'd bet this comes from the order of green,black,red,blue,yellow beret from some ukranian factory in 2005

Thanks again!

[Lapa]

Paul,

"Krapoviy" is usually translated by "brick colored"

Marc

[desantnik]

Thanks guys.

I may have misspoken and I'll have to check a Bratishka magazine. On second thought I think the "VV" or Internal Troops wear these berets and not MVD, or Ministry of the Interior, i.e. uniformed police.

[marcotk]

The mistery increases.

As far as I saw this red is very similar and hence could be easily mistaken to both the MChS "orange" (Photo 1) and the "brick" red of the guys in the last photo. (From the Pobedy Parad 2008)

mchs.jpg or Special Forces

[Lapa]

Paul,

VV wears krpaoviy.

Marc