Afghanka The Afghanka ( Ru : Афганка ) is a field uniform developed and issued by the Soviet Army in the early 1980s . The uniform , as the Peshanka , is still in use today in many different variants . The Afghanka ' s uniform was largely based on the United States Army Battle Dress Uniform ' s overall design . Initially produced in one colour it now comes in several solid colours , several different camouflage patterns and two primary styles . While Afghanka was the most common name in use , the actual name of the uniform cut was Obr88 , or , in Russian , Обр88 . After 1984 were manufactured according to ТУ - 17 - 08 - 194 - 84 , used in the manufacture of : - Article tissue 3303 ( " habe " ) - Article tissue 3155 ( " The Glass " ) ; Design . The Afghanka is as follows , a long , loose fitting 6 pocket BDU jacket with large stand - and - fall collar , epaulette s , concealed buttons , and armpit vents , and tight fitting combat trousers with characteristic sewn - in pant leg creases down the front . There are both winter and summer versions of the Afghanka . The summer Afghanka comes in three parts : jacket , trousers , and field cap . The winter Afghanka comes in four parts : jacket , jacket liner , trousers , and trouser liner . The liners are buttoned into their respective garments , but can be worn without the overgarment , and the overgarment can be worn without the liner . The jacket liner bears the fur collar of the jacket , usually in fish fur but occasionally in real fur . When the jacket is worn without the liner , the collar is plain material . The jacket and trousers are lined with a pile - type material that helps insulate by trapping warm air , whereas the liners are made of a quilted material similar to the Telogreika uniform . The original color was khaki , but later olive drab and green became common . Today many varieties of camouflage patterns exist . Types . First type . The enlisted man ' s Afghanka has two sleeve pockets , two breast pockets , two waist pockets , an inside pocket on the jacket , an inside pocket on the liner , and an inner pocket on the jacket for a pistol ( complete with lanyard ) . The trousers have two cargo pockets on the legs and two hip pockets . The officer ' s Afghanka jacket has only two slash pockets on the waist of the jacket and an inner pistol pocket . Officers ' jackets usually have a real fur collar . Officers ' Afghanka trousers have no pockets . The pockets are the same on the winter and summer Afghankas . Second type . The second type enlisted man ' s Afghanka has two sleeve pockets , two breast pockets , no waist pockets , an inside pocket on the jacket , an inside pocket on the liner , and maybe an inner pocket on the jacket for a pistol ( complete with lanyard ) . this jacket is designed to be worn tucked into the trousers . The trousers are the same as the first pattern . Issue and effectiveness . The Afghanka began appearing in military units in the early 1980s during the Soviet war in Afghanistan , hence the name . The design of the jacket and trousers may have been based on similar patterns used by other Warsaw Pact armies such as the GDR . Initially , the Afghanka uniform was in very short supply and was often issued to units rather than individuals and passed around as necessary for various duties . As more were produced , more were issued . By the end of the 1980s it had become possible for everybody to be issued his own . Individual soldiers began marking the collars of their uniforms with bleach . The soldiers found the new uniform to be very effective , especially in Afghanistan . Even without the liners in , a winter Afghanka is comfortably warm in temperatures of down to - 20 °C . Another advantage of the winter Afghanka over the preceding Bushlat and Shinel greatcoat was the greatly enhanced mobility and increased number of pockets . Afghanka was issued alongside the Mabuta uniform , which is similar in shape and looks . Mobuta was used exclusively by the Spetsnaz and VDV , and was used alongside the much more famous Afghanka uniform . Today the Afghanka design uniform is still in use by Russia , Ukraine , Kazakhstan , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , Belarus and Georgia . Variants . The original issue Afghanka was only available in the standard Soviet Army Khaki shade . Within two years a uniform in a camouflage pattern called Spetsodezhda ( Similar to KLMK ) had been designed and issued to the Border Guards and KGB troops . A version of the Afghankha in TTsKO camouflage was developed for VDV paratroopers and marines was developed in 1984 . Since then , various other Afghanka uniforms in various camouflage shades such as VSR camouflage , Flora camouflage , and many others have been produced . Kazakhstan and Ukraine both currently issue uniforms in their own camouflage patterns . The Soviet and Russian VDV used the first version , in both Khaki and TTsKO , but without the lower patch pockets on the jacket as a convenience fit a parachute system or if the shirt needed to be tucked into the trousers . Both the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation have also produced the uniform in neutral shades for police use .