Photo of Marshal Choibalsan and Colonel-General M. Kovalev with a general's saber

An extremely rare photograph taken in 1943 during the visit of the Soviet delegation to Mongolia. The photo size is 6*9 cm. From right to left are: Colonel-General M.P.Kovalev, Commander of the Trans—Baikal Front, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR A.E. Badaev, Marshal of the MNR Choibalsan. Of particular interest is the saber in Kovalev's hands: the fact is that its design was approved only on 15.01.1943 by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 25 "On the introduction of new insignia and changes in the uniform of the Red Army." The order introduced the order of wearing shoulder straps and a new cut of uniforms for all Red Army personnel, different from the cut of 1940, including for generals. It states: "When in full dress uniform, infantry and cavalry generals were supposed to have a saber. The guard and scabbard of the saber are nickel-plated, the handle is white bone, the clasp is gold on a red ribbon with white edges." The description corresponds to the appearance of the generals' ceremonial sabers on Victory Day Parade in 1945 If there is a description of the weapon sample, it means that the sample itself has already been developed. This saber was not adopted by the Red Army as a combat weapon, but was only defined by the order of the clothing service as belonging to the dress uniform. The use of this saber to supply the Red Army generals lowered the status of the saber, which was adopted by the Red Army in December 1940, leaving only the words "combatant commanding staff" in its designation. When developing a model of cold steel for the new generals' uniforms, the infantry officer's saber of the 1913 model was used as a basis. This saber was very similar in design to the 1940 model saber already adopted by the Red Army, but its truly brilliant appearance was more in line with the general's status. Considering that the visit took place in March 1943, the Soviet military leaders did not have time to sew a full-dress uniform with shoulder straps, as a result of which they used the old pre-war one. At the same time, Kovalev is already wearing a saber, introduced two months earlier. Apparently, this is the earliest known example of wearing a general's saber mod. 1943. Guarantee of authenticity.

1. Khorlogiin Choibalsan is a Marshal of the People's Republic of China, Commander-in-Chief of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Army, Chairman of the People's Council of Ministers and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of China.

1. Badaev Alexey Egorovich - Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR and Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Badaev, who was prone to alcoholism, discredited himself with indecent behavior during this state visit to Mongolia and Tuva in 1943. In this regard, on April 6 of the same year, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU(b) decided to remove Badaev from office (I. A. Vlasov was appointed acting chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR). The decision, in particular, stated: "The Central Committee of the CPSU(b) has become aware of the facts of T. Badaev's outrageous behavior during his stay as chairman of the USSR delegation at the celebrations of the Mongolian People's Republic and the Tuvan People's Republic, discrediting him as chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR and a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU(b). Badaev during During his stay in the Mongolian and Tuvan People's Republics, he drank heavily. Being drunk, Badayev lost all sense of personal dignity and, in his anti-moral behavior, stooped to the point that he repeatedly molested women and demanded that "women be brought to him" for debauchery." On March 4, 1944, he was relieved of his post by a decree of the 5th session of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR of the first convocation. After his removal from office, he was appointed head of the Glavpivo Trust (1943-1951).

Mikhail Prokofievich Kovalev (July 7, 1897, Bryukhovetskaya, Krasnodar Territory — August 31, 1967, Leningrad) was a Soviet military commander, Colonel-General (05/07/1943).