kamouflage.net camouflage data

Rastr ('raster') is a four-colour camouflage pattern, comprising an earth brown web-like pattern overprinted with jagged, hard-edged medium green and deep navy splinters, all on a light green background. [Image: Russian Combat Gear.]

Raster
Russian Federation

Historically, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russian: Министерство внутренних дел, trans. Ministerstvo Vnutrennikh Del, MVD) issues regular army uniforms to its interal forces and special operations units. At the time of writing, the latest camouflage pattern to be issued to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is Flora, which is very effective in central Russia.

Unfortunately, a camouflage pattern that works well in the fields near Moscow isn't necessarily suitable to all of the diverse environments, in which Russian special forces are required to operate. For this reason most special operations units supplement their issue uniforms with commercially produced camouflage uniforms purchased by sponsors or out of their own pockets.

Raster (Russian: Растр, trans. Rastr) is one of the more recently adopted camouflage patterns. Clearly based on the green woodland version of 'reed figure' (Russian: камышовый рисунок, trans. kamyshovyy risunok), rastr is a four-colour design, comprising an earth brown web-like pattern overprinted with jagged, hard-edged medium green and deep navy splinters, all on a light green background.

The strong resemblance suggests that rastr was also intended for use by Interior Troops of the Ministry for Internal Affairs (Russian: Внутренние войска Министерства внутренних дел, trans. Vnutrenniye Voiska Ministerstva Vnutrennikh Del, VV MVD) fighting in Chechnya. However, Raster is known to be worn by certain units of OMON (Russian: Отряд милиции особого назначения, trans. Otryad militsii osobogo naznacheniya, Special Purpose Police Squad).

kamouflage.net is grateful to 'Firefly', for his invaluable contribution to this article.

camouflage data