Bladed edged weapons of military, court and civil ranks. Bladed edged weapons of military, court and civil ranks Edged weapons of naval officers of the Second World War

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It is unlikely that I will be able to clearly explain my more than respectful attitude towards this outdated type of officers' personal weapon. Of course, there is also the notorious magic of the blade, and a harmonious combination of simplicity and beauty, laconic elegance of the forms and lines of the object itself.

But it is much more important that for me it is, as it were, the embodiment of the spirit and letter of those times when the aviation of our country was in unconditional respect. And although the period when aviation officers of the USSR Air Force relied on a dagger as a personal weapon was short-lived - from 1949 to 1957, but this time remained in the history of our aviation as a reminder of traditions originating from the first aviators of the Russian Imperial Air Fleet. Traditions that we are, by definition, the successors of, as graduates of an aviation school - professionals who have chosen aviation as their life's work.

Therefore, if you want - for me this is the expression of the quintessence of aviation romance in a specific subject that you can pick up.

And, of course, a dagger is a symbol of officer valor and honor. No wonder it was a must. dress uniform clothes of officers and royal, and Soviet army and fleet, and continues to be so in the Russian. Daggers continue to be issued to officers of the Russian fleet as personal weapons, officers Russian army may be issued under special instruction to participate in parades.

A bit from the history of the dagger in the Russian army and navy.

The first samples of daggers came to Russia in the time of Peter the Great. The fashion for daggers among the officers of the Russian Navy was started by foreign specialists invited by Peter. The new type of weapon was noticed and appreciated, and now at the Olonets factories they began to manufacture domestic-made daggers. At the same time, the dagger ceased to be a weapon exclusively naval officers and joined the army. In 1803, the wearing of a dagger was officially assigned to naval officers. Wearing a dagger with any form of clothing - except for the ceremonial uniform, the obligatory accessory of which was a naval saber or broadsword - was considered absolutely mandatory in some periods, and at times it was required only in the line of duty. For example, for more than a hundred years in a row, until 1917, the descent of a naval officer from the ship to the shore obliged him to be at the dagger. Service in the coastal institutions of the fleet - headquarters, educational institutions etc. - also required naval officers serving there to always wear a dagger. Only on the ship, wearing a dagger was mandatory only for the chief of the watch.

Naval officer's dagger, model 1803-1914, Russia.

The then "Russian sea dagger" in its form and decoration was so beautiful and elegant that the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, bypassing the crew of the newest Russian cruiser "Varyag" in 1902, was delighted with him and ordered to introduce for the officers of his "Fleet high seas» daggers according to a somewhat modified Russian model.

In addition to the Germans, back in the 80s of the XIX century. The Russian dagger was adopted by the Japanese, who made it look like a small samurai sword. By the beginning of the XX century. The Russian dagger has become an accessory of the uniform of officers of many fleets of the world.

Naval officer's dagger, model 1914, with Nikolai's monogram.

During the First World War, daggers were in service in Russia not only in the navy, but also in the army - in aviation, aeronautics, and automobile troops. The wearing of daggers was also practiced by junior infantry officers, instead of checkers, which were uncomfortable in the trenches.

Ensign of the Russian Imperial Army

The future People's Commissar of State Security of the USSR V.N. Merkulov in the rank of ensign, World War I.

After 1917, some commanders of the newly created Red Army from among former officers continued to wear daggers, and in 1919 the first sample of the Soviet dagger appeared. It differed from the pre-revolutionary only in the presence of Soviet symbols, instead of the imperial monogram.

Red commanders with revolvers and daggers.

AT army environment, among the commanders of the Red Army - mostly from workers and peasants, the dagger did not take root, but the command staff of the RKKF wore daggers from 1922 to 1927. Then, nevertheless, it was canceled, and for 13 years it went out of use by Soviet sailors. It was again revived in the Navy after the dagger of the 1940 model was adopted, largely thanks to the new commander of the Fleet, N.G. Kuznetsov, who sought to revive the old traditions of the Russian fleet.

Outwardly, this dagger largely repeats the forms of Russian pre-revolutionary daggers - almost the same outlines of the blade and hilt, wooden scabbard covered with black leather, gilded metal device. Daggers were produced at the former Zlatoust Arms Factory, renamed the Zlatoust Tool Factory.

Naval officer's dagger 1945.

In 1945, some changes were made, the main one was the presence of a latch with a button to prevent the blade from falling out of the sheath. It was this sample that served as the prototype for the daggers of other branches of the military, which have come down to our days and are still worn by officers to this day by special instruction during parades.

Dagger in aviation.

The tradition of wearing daggers is typical for air force many countries of the world. This type edged weapons was very popular in pre-revolutionary Russia among aviation officers. This was partly due to the fact that among the first Russian aviators there were many naval officers. In addition, a short blade looked much more appropriate than a long checker in the cockpit of an airplane. Red warlets of the Workers' and Peasants' air fleet in some places unofficially preserved this tradition in the early years of the civil war.

In 1949, by order of the Minister of the Armed Forces, the dagger returned to the already Soviet Air Force, and until 1957 it was worn with the full dress and everyday uniforms of officers and generals of aviation - just as it was before 1917. Cadets of aviation schools received daggers along with the first officer's epaulettes and graduation diplomas.

Since 1958, the dagger ceased to be the personal weapon of officers and generals of the Air Force, and was issued on special instructions to participate in parades.

Soviet-style daggers were produced until 1993. However, they have weathered the tide of change well. military uniform clothes of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and continue to be used at the present time as a parade edged weapon for officers of the army and navy. Graduates of naval schools, along with the first lieutenant shoulder straps, are awarded daggers.

Officers of the Russian army wear daggers on special instructions during parades - combined arms and aviation, depending on the type of troops. In fact, modern daggers completely and completely repeat the daggers of the Soviet era, with the only difference in symbolism: instead of the coat of arms of the USSR, an image of a double-headed eagle is placed on the head of the handle, and there is no sickle and hammer on the image of a star. Meanwhile, Soviet models continue to be in service with the army and navy along with modern ones.

(In preparing the article, materials from the Internet and the book by D.R. Ilyasov "Daggers of the USSR" were used) (jcomments on)

"Dagger" and "Bronze Bird" - these two works were well known to Soviet boys. They enthusiastically read stories in which main character unraveled difficult situations and literally saved his homeland. But most of all, our boys dreamed of edged weapons, which gave the name to the work of art. For lack of the opportunity to hold a real dagger in their hands, they made it from wood and other improvised materials, and then proudly wore it, becoming the heroes of the whole yard. Interestingly, many teenagers could retell the content of Anatoly Rybakov's Dirk, but they would hardly have been able to give an accurate description of the weapon itself. After all, they only dreamed of seeing the legendary sea blade live and getting to know its history. Today we decided to tell readers what a dagger is. And also consider what evolutionary path he went from the beginning of the sixteenth century up to the present day.

What is a dirk?

Before starting a story about this type of edged weapon, you need to figure out what exactly it is. To do this, look at any dictionary. What is a dagger from the point of view of specialists?

This term refers to melee weapons with a short blade. This dagger can have different sharpening options. According to its typology, the dagger is much closer to knives, but it was originally used as a weapon. Since its blade narrowed towards the end, it was very convenient for them to deliver stabbing blows. The owners of daggers chose for themselves sharpening on one or two sides. wore this weapon in a harness or scabbard. A few centuries later, the dagger became an invariable accessory of the military, until now it is part of the dress uniform of officers. different countries. First of all, this applies to sailors, so when we first mention this weapon, we immediately think of a navy dagger.

The appearance of the dagger

This universal blade owes its appearance to the military. Historians believe that it arose due to frequent naval clashes, in which the ships of the Spaniards and the Portuguese were drawn. They were armed with rather long rapiers, which showed themselves well in battle during boarding. Since Spain and Portugal experienced serious damage from the Ottoman pirates, rapiers with long blades became a real necessity and salvation for them. During the battles, European sailors gained superiority thanks to their weapons, because the curved sabers of the Turks did not have such a range.

The British also began to use rapiers over time, but they also noticed their significant shortcomings. Long blades did an excellent job during boarding, but on the ship itself, using these weapons was extremely inconvenient. It did not allow turning around in narrow passages cluttered with various objects. In addition, during the battle, hundreds of people turned out to be nearby, which also made any actions much more difficult.

Another significant disadvantage of rapiers was their thin blade. Good steel was considered a rarity in the sixteenth century, so weapons often broke at the most inopportune moment.

To alleviate their situation, sailors began to use ordinary knives and daggers in battle. Of course, their blades were too short and in many cases useless, but paired with a rapier, they made it possible to operate more widely.

It was these knives that became the prototypes of daggers, which over time acquired a completely different look.

Distribution of daggers among the aristocrats

It is interesting that the fashion for various and daggers, which was introduced by sailors, quickly spread to the European nobility. They began to order beautifully decorated hunting cleavers and various knives from well-known gunsmiths, which they called "daggers". What is a dagger in the early seventeenth century?

Most often, it was a blade up to eighty centimeters long. They could carry out stabbing and chopping blows, which turned this weapon into something universal. Also popular were not only straight, but also curved blades. The hilt was a special decoration of edged weapons. It was often made of silver and could surprise with skillful chasing and carving.

By the middle of the seventeenth century, swords and rapiers remained only in the use of the military. They needed them by the nature of their service, and the aristocrats preferred light and small daggers that could save lives in a dark alley and did not interfere while riding in a carriage.

The return of daggers to the fleet

By the end of the seventeenth century, not only aristocrats, but also sailors had heard about daggers. Over time, they appreciated the advantages of short blades and began to use this type of weapon for various purposes. First of all, the British and the Dutch armed themselves with daggers, they used it for butchering carcasses on ships when preparing special jerky and in cases where it was necessary to fight the enemy in close combat.

The popularity of daggers was so great that they were used not only by sailors, but also by the highest officers. It was they who first began to draw a parallel between honor and the preservation of the dagger. The officers never parted with this weapon, gradually making it a symbol of valor. They would rather die than give their blade to the enemy.

Daggers cost enough big money, and junior officers, dreaming of their own richly decorated dagger, remade it from other types of weapons. Attempts to replace the dagger with something else were not successful. Some blades turned out to be too long, others were thin and not suitable for a real fight. Only the dagger remained unchanged, which became a faithful companion of sailors in almost all European countries.

Dagger as an unofficial melee weapon of naval officers

Around the eighteenth century, the character of naval battles. Now they were carried out with the help of artillery, so boarding battles are a thing of the past. And with them, the urgent need for daggers disappeared. They were replaced by specially made weapons with a curved shape and a long blade. However, many sailors did not like it, despite the fact that it was forged very carefully and from high quality steel.

Junior officers were especially reluctant to switch to the new kind weapons. On duty, they often had to move around the decks a lot and operate in cramped conditions, and in these situations the long blade created a lot of inconvenience. Therefore, officers everywhere began to order daggers, which were noticeably shortened - up to fifty centimeters. Carrying such a weapon on a ship was very convenient, besides, it was considered optional, which means it was not regulated in any way. The sailors made it with any hilt and pattern, and the scabbard was also decorated in any form.

Official recognition of the dagger

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the dagger was first discussed as a possible obligatory attribute of the uniform of naval officers. An English firm set up its production, but now the dagger fully complied with a certain pattern approved from above. For example, the blade of that time had to be forty-one centimeters long, and the handle was covered with shark skin.

Other European countries also had their own standards. In Germany, they changed quite often, while different types of troops and state structures had their own pattern of dagger. For customs officers, the handle was made in green, and for diplomats, an eagle with a swastika in its paws had a certain head tilt.

Dagger in Russia

It is believed that the fashion similar weapons introduced by Tsar Peter I. He was very fond of his dagger and considered it an integral part of a military uniform. Since the tsar was very kind to his fleet, he ordered all officers to wear daggers. Several times the shape and size of the blade changed, but it always retained its main meaning - it symbolized the power and prowess of the Russian fleet. Peter I, by his decree, noted in the list of persons who must wear a dagger without fail, and officials related to maritime departments. It was during this period of time that a tradition was developed not to go ashore without one's blade.

The death of the great Russian tsar, who built a fleet and proved its viability to all of Europe, became a period of decline for the dagger. The subsequent years of decline greatly reduced the prestige navy and a convenient short dagger eventually migrated to other troops. From a symbol, it turned into an ordinary edged weapon, which was worn everywhere by both soldiers and officers.

At the end of the eighteenth century, it practically ceased to be used in battles, which means that it lost its significance even more. He became for the officers more of a personal weapon than obligatory element forms. Many have moved away from wearing a dagger and even completely forgot about it. However, the nineteenth century made its own adjustments to the fate of these weapons.

Dirk Making Standard

Until the beginning of the nineteenth century, this type of edged weapons was made in any form, but the situation has changed. The royal dagger acquired its own standard, which returned interest to it from naval officers. Now the blade had to be no more than thirty centimeters long, and its handle became a real work of art made of ivory. It was considered an honor to carry such a thing with you, it was carefully protected, and often even made the item that was passed down from generation to generation from father to son.

Absolutely all officers began to wear the dagger again, including those who served in different departments. Literally in eleven years, the dagger turned into an object of envy that many wanted to possess. Approximately three years before the overthrow of the tsarist regime, the blade changed seriously. Its handle was now made of cheaper material, and the blade itself became shorter - twenty-four centimeters. These changes made it possible to introduce the dagger into all types of troops. Even the huntsmen wore it, which could not but cause discontent among the sailors.

The revolution of the seventeenth year drove the dagger into the shadows for several decades. He practically ceased to be a mandatory edged weapon in the army, although the leadership of the Red Army often carried intricate daggers with Soviet symbols. However, it was rather a tribute to tradition, which was considered a relic of the past.

At the state level, the dagger was remembered on the eve of World War II. The Soviet-style Navy dagger became a very important attribute of the command, and therefore had its own standard. Historians argue that this option was very different from everything that existed before, and was highly valued by officers.

The daggers of the USSR of the fortieth year were a ceremonial model. The blade of the dagger was twenty-one and a half centimeters long, the blade was made of alloyed steel, but it was rather thin. The handle had a collapsible design and from a distance looked very much like ivory. However, in fact, the material was ordinary plastic, but quite good quality. The sheath had a wooden insert, and special tucks firmly held the dagger inside, despite the position and movements of the officer.

Most of the small details of the decor were made of brass. It was covered with gold, but quickly erased. It was also considered mandatory to apply special symbols (for example, an anchor).

To date, the entire officer corps, from ensigns to generals, is armed with daggers. This dagger is part of the dress uniform, but representatives have a number of privileges. They are the only ones allowed to carry a dagger as a personal weapon. You can get it only after graduating from the military academy or on the occasion of the assignment of the next rank.

Types of daggers

To date, several types of daggers are produced in the Russian Federation, differing in their characteristics. These include the length of the blade, for example, or the composition of the steel. To date, there are six types of daggers:

• Nautical. Its standard comes from the first quarter of the nineteenth century. According to him, the length of the blade should not exceed twenty-seven centimeters. This option is considered the shortest of all.
• Officer. This type of blade is richly decorated with precious stones and genuine leather.
• front door. The dirk is somewhat reminiscent of the first option we mentioned. Common features can be traced in size, but this type of edged weapon is much richer decorated.
• General's. The dagger is distinguished by a narrow blade and skillful engraving, made using inlay and gold filigree.
• Admiral. This dagger can be called unique. The fact is that his first sample had absolutely no prototypes. It contains the largest number precious stones and gold.
• Award.

It is a great honor for every officer to have any of the listed types of dagger, because it is still considered a symbol of valor. Interestingly, as a reward for valor and service to the homeland, an officer can receive a dagger and a watch with a name inscription. Both presentations are very expensive and symbolize a special disposition towards a person.

Dagger classification

We have already specified that today this edged weapon is an integral attribute of the dress uniform. However, we can give another classification of daggers depending on their purpose:

• Personal weapon. Such daggers are received by all graduates of military schools. The issuance of weapons takes place in a solemn atmosphere in the circle of colleagues and close people. Outside of special events, it is forbidden to carry a dagger with you, however, graduates sacredly adhere to the tradition of washing their weapons in a restaurant. AT last years it is customary to consecrate blades within the walls of the temple.
• Named weapon. In this capacity, daggers are presented as a gift. Honorary guests of the country and people who have done something important for Russia can become its owners. Also, the dagger can become the key to a long and productive cooperation between the two powers.

We think that after everything we have stated above, you understand why the well-known story by Anatoly Rybakov, “Kortik”, is called this way. This name alone aroused great interest in her at one time. And after that she appeared in a pair with Dirk and Bronze Bird. By the way, we would like to say a few words about these works.

Conclusion

Since it was with the mention of these stories that we began our article, we cannot finish it without Rybakov's Kortik. If you are interested in the history of this type of edged weapons, then we advise you not to ignore this work. After all, it has long been known that writers can reflect the fate of whole country. And "Bronze Bird" and "Kortik" are a story about us and our past. It will help to look into the times when everything around was completely different, and people lived by ideals and thought in other categories. Therefore, we advise all our readers to pick up Rybakov's Kortik and immerse themselves in a fictional, but such a real world.

I found a relatively old article published in 2005 in the magazine " Russian Antiques" and dedicated to bladed weapons. The article is short and it is clear that in given volume it is difficult to cover the entire multifaceted history of the development of edged weapons in Russia and beyond. But as an additional touch to the overall picture, the information presented may be interesting and useful, or simply allow you to refresh your memory of what you read earlier. The article is supplemented by some of my comments and photos.

in the military and secular life Russia blade cold weapon played an extremely important role. First of all, it served as a military weapon, that is, it was intended for use directly in hostilities. In addition, its various types had functions combat weapon, intended to be worn in the ranks or in service, but not used in combat - for example, naval officer daggers. Bladed melee weapons It was also used as a civilian weapon, which was worn by employees and officials of various civil departments and court officials. These purposes were mainly sword.

In service with various parts The Russian army adopted swords, broadswords, sabers, checkers of various designs, which during the XVIII - XIX centuries. were constantly changing. Statutory edged weapons were manufactured in large quantities at the Petrovsky Arms Plant in the Olonetsk province, the Sestroretsk Arms Plant, and the Izhevsk Arms Plant. The weapons of the lower ranks, in order to better preserve it, as a rule, were marked with military brands. The first samples of regular, or statutory, weapons were adopted in the Russian army in the first half of the 18th century. His appearance, sizes, wearing rules and staffing were regulated by departmental and national decrees, orders, charters and other official documents. In the same way, award weapons (it is also “golden weapons”) were regulated, which since the 18th century. officers and generals were awarded for personal military merit. In addition, in the decorated version, cold military weapon- with relief decor on the hilt and scabbard, engraving, bluing, inlays, etc. Some workshops specialized in the manufacture of ceremonial weapons Zlatoust arms factory in the 19th century and in the 18th century it was produced on Tula arms factory. There was also a nominal, or gift cold weapon, on the blade, hilt or scabbard of which there were inscriptions indicating the recipient, donor and the reason for presenting the weapon.

Some types of edged bladed weapons were resorted to during the hunt, in particular, they finished off the beast with knives and daggers. Daggers and daggers, which were worn in full dress and service uniforms by court hunting officials and various departments for forest protection, were also classified as hunting weapons.

Bladed edged weapons were also used as a sporting weapon. From the beginning of the XVIII century. fencing with swords and rapiers was introduced as a compulsory subject in military and civilian schools. Thus, "rapier science" was introduced in the Moscow School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences in 1701, and in the St. Petersburg Naval Academy in 1719. AT curriculum The gymnasium at Moscow University, which opened in 1755, was given 4 hours a week for fencing.

One of the most famous fencing instructors was I. E. Siverbrik, at the turn of the XVIII-XIX centuries. taught fencing in the Cadet, Page, Mountain Cadet Corps. Siverbrick trained several generations of fencing teachers who worked in military and civilian schools throughout Russia.

In the second half of the 19th century, due to the growing need for fencing training, officer fencing halls began to open in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Warsaw and other cities. Amateur sports fencing with rapiers, swords and espadrons was popular among students, students and officers. Among the officers there were masters who perfectly mastered two or three types of edged weapons.

SAF "Rencontre", together with like-minded people, is participating in the long process of returning to life ttradition to give prize weapons to the winner of the tournament, which has now become an attributeholding the annual "Grand Asso" in St. Petersburg. Pictured in 2009 is a replica of the saber. Subsequently, the traditional French rapier with a guard in the form of a figure eight, as a symbol of the revival of the traditions of classical fencing, began to act as the main prize. On the photo: before the start of the asso, the main prize is shown by one of the leaders of the SAF "Rencontre" - Alexander Ulyanov; in the background, the chief judge of the asso is Kirill Kandat. 2009

In 1897, a special sign was introduced for carrying knives on the scabbard of officers who already had prizes for fighting on any weapon and again received a prize for fighting on another type of weapon. The badge was an Imperial cypher with a crown and laurels with the inscription "For a battle with two weapons" or "For a battle with three weapons". The prize itself - a weapon - the officer no longer received, he was given the value of the prize in money. In the last quarter of the XIX century. in Cossack troops for victory in competitions for the possession of edged weapons or for masterful riding, prize Cossack checkers were awarded with an inscription, for which the prize was awarded.

Special dueling edged weapons, corresponding to the principle of equivalence of weapons of opponents, began to appear in Europe and Russia in the first thirds of XIX in .: these were special dueling pairs of sabers (espadrons), swords and rapiers (the question is debatable, but this is the subject of separate articles - my note) . However, in Russia, firearms have traditionally been used for fights.

Children's edged weapons reproduced the weapons used by adults in a reduced and decorated version. Such weapons were used for military sports exercises and developing the habit of carrying weapons among future warriors. Russian masters of the Tula and Zlatoust arms factories made similar weapons on orders for the children of Russian nobles. Many members royal family from an early age they were the chiefs of the guards regiments and carried the appropriate weapons.

The production of edged weapons in Russia XVIII-XIX centuries. five large state-owned enterprises were engaged: from 1705 to 1724 - the Petrovsky plant in the Olonets province, from 1712 - the Tula arms factory, from 1712 - the Sestroretsk arms factory, from 1807 - the Izhevsk arms factory, from 1817 - Zlatoust weapons factory. Of these, the craftsmen of Zlatoust specialized exclusively in edged weapons, who, in addition to ordinary military and combat weapons, also supplied decorated edged weapons in large quantities.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries in Russia, a search was constantly conducted for an effective model of combat edged weapons for the Russian army - the so-called experimental melee weapons. In the first half of the XIX century. when developing new edged weapons, they were guided mainly by French models. They experimented with the size and curvature of the blades, elements of the hilt at the Tula Arms Plant and the Zlatoust Arms Factory, prototypes experimental sabers were also created at the Sestroretsk arms factory.

Also developed were infantry soldier cleavers, cavalry soldier broadswords, infantry officer and dragoon soldier sabers. In 1860-1870. developments were underway to create an effective combat model that could replace the whole variety of edged weapons that were in service with the Russian army.

In the early 1870s Major General A.P. Gorlov repeatedly made proposals for a significant modernization of edged weapons.

The photo shows the prize foil, issued for 1st place in demonstration competitions. Manufactured by the English firm Wilkinson, 1924. Private collection.

After the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. a specially created commission was engaged in considering new models of edged weapons, which approved the samples of dragoon and Cossack sabers improved by that time by Gorlov. At the same time, the development of new models of soldier's and officer's cavalry weapons based on Austrian and Italian models was underway.

Experimental samples of cavalry sabers 1896-1905. had the so-called "silent sheath" with fixed brackets or a hook instead of movable rings. At the same time, attempts continued to improve the dragoon soldier's checker of the 1881 model, which, after it was sent to the troops, complaints began to be received for inconvenience in handling.

Amendments to the Law on Weapons, allowing Navy officers to leave their dress weapons after retirement, have been developed and are going through the necessary stages of voting.

SIMFEROPOL, May 19, 2016, 18:20 - REGNUM The issue with the preservation of ceremonial weapons (daggers) for retired Navy officers is being resolved, but this takes time. Corresponding amendments to the law "On weapons" have already been prepared, a REGNUM correspondent was told in the press service and information department of the President of Russia.

“The issue is being worked out - both by the Ministry of Defense and the Government of the Russian Federation. However, it will take time to resolve this request as the regulation on nautical cutlass is regulated federal law No. 150 "On weapons." AT this moment amendments to the law, allowing Navy officers to leave their parade weapons after retirement, have been developed and are passing the necessary voting stages, ”the press service of the President of the Russian Federation reported in response to a request from REGNUM news agency.

“The fleet is a conservative organization, it rests to a large extent on traditions. There is such a tradition, this is a privilege, an incentive system, when an officer who was transferred to the reserve was dismissed with the right to wear a uniform, and at the same time, the naval uniform provided for a naval dagger. Approximately during the last two years, the naval dagger from the officers began to be withdrawn. So I served 36 years in the Navy, I don’t quite understand who needs my dagger with the coat of arms Soviet Union? the officer asked.

"Officers' daggers must be returned," Vladimir Putin replied.