The telnyashka (Russian: тельняшка, pronounced [tʲɪlʲˈnʲaʂkə]) or telnik (тельник) is a horizontally striped undershirt worn as uniform by Russian military personnel. It has stripes in white and in a color that varies according to the unit's affiliation. The most common second color is blue, but a number of other colors are also in use. The garment comes in varying thicknesses and may be sleeved or sleeveless.

Technical details

The uniforms of Russia's Naval, Airborne and Naval Infantry personnel do not include conventional collared shirts. Open-fronted jackets of various designs make the distinctively striped telnyashka a conspicuous part of the clothing of branches of the Russian armed forces.

Telnyashkas are also available to civilian customers and may come in a variety of knittings. Single-stranded knitting is the standard military-issue variant, but double- and quadruple-stranded knitting for increased warmth can be produced. A quadruple-stranded telnyashka is thick enough to keep the wearer warm with nothing else on, even at 5 °C (41 °F), as it was originally developed to be worn by military divers under a dry suit.

History

The Russian telnyashka originated in the distinctive striped marinière blouse worn by merchant sailors and fishermen of Brittany,[1] who adopted this style to distinguish them from other sea-going nationalities. The fashion was later adopted and popularized by the French Navy and other navies of the pre-dreadnought era. Sailors of the modern French Navy still wear these garments in certain orders of dress.

The Imperial Russian Navy adopted the blue and white striped telnyashka blouse during the 19th century. The tradition of Russian or Soviet ground troops wearing a naval uniform comes from Soviet Navy sailors who fought as shore units during World War II. It is exemplified by the famed Soviet sniper Vassili Zaitsev, a petty officer in the Soviet Pacific Fleet who volunteered for army duty, but refused to give up his telnyashka because of the pride it engendered.

Vasily Margelov, who was later to modernize the Soviet Airborne Forces (VDV), had previously served with a Naval Infantry unit in World War II, and procured telnyashkas for the VDV as a mark of their elite status.

Use in the Russian military

Although the blue and white striped telnyashka is the best-known, other colors are in use. The colored telnyashka stripes usually match the beret, except for the Marines, who have a blue striped shirt and black beret.

Blue and white stripes

• Russian Navy: The telnyashka was first worn by the 19th century Imperial Russian Navy and has been worn by Russian sailors ever since.
  • Russian marines, PDSS and submarine crewmen: As branches of the Navy they wear the blue and white telnyashka with their dress uniform, but in the field they use a black and white striped variant.
  • The maritime service of the Border Troops follows the traditions of the Navy, including its ranks and the telnyashka.
• Russian Airborne Troops (VDV). Introduced by General Vasily Margelov. to the displeasure of Admiral Sergey Gorshkov.
  • GRU Spetsnaz: Military intelligence special forces often wear VDV uniforms including the blue telnyashka.
  • KGB Border Troops airborne units use VDV insignia and uniform
• Federal Security Service spetsnaz units and the Kremlin Regiment of the Federal Protective Service wear cornflower blue telnyashkas as part of their uniform.
• KGB and FSB officers in military counter-intelligence roles wear the same color as that of the unit that they are assigned to.

• Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation follow the traditions of their Soviet predecessor and wear the green telnyashka (except for its maritime and airborne units). Green is also used by the Border Troops of Belarus.

• The National Guard of Russia (Rosgvardiya) wear dark red and white striped telnyashkas with dark red berets, as did its predecessor, the Interior Troops.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations wears an orange and white striped telnyashka, introduced by Sergei Shoigu when he was its Minister. The Ministry is mostly in charge of civil defence and firefighters and uses army-style ranks.

In other countries

The Bulgarian 68th Special Forces Brigade uses the telnyashka as part of its uniform.  Sailors of the Cuban Revolutionary Navy wear telnyashkas with blue stripes as part of their uniform.

The Korean People's Army Navy also uses them with their uniforms.