The Soviet Ground Forces, successor to the Red Army, the title changing in 1945, employed a wide range of different military formations. The Soviets used the term "Театр войны," Theatre of War (TV), to describe a large area of the world in which there might be several teatr voennykh deistvii, (TVDs) usually translated as theatres of military action/operations. Generally this concept equates to the largest extent of what Western thinkers would describe as a Theater (warfare).

Formations

Administrative groupings

"For administrative purposes, the Soviet ground forces comprise[d] three categories: combat arms branches (troops), special troops, and services." From the 1950s to the 1980s the branches ("rods") of the Ground Forces included the Motor Rifle Troops; the Soviet Airborne Forces, from April 1956 to March 1964; Air Assault Troops (Airborne Assault Formations of the Ground Forces of the USSR, from 1968 to August 1990); the Tank Troops; the Rocket Forces and Artillery (Soviet Union) (Ракетные войска и артиллерия СССР, from 1961, including artillery observation units); Army Aviation, until December 1990; Signals Troops; the Engineer Troops; the Air Defence Troops of the Ground Forces (see Air Defence Troops of the Russian Ground Forces and ru:Войска противовоздушной обороны Сухопутных войск СССР); the Chemical Troops; and the Rear of the Ground Forces. The special troops (ru:Специальные войска) - Engineer (but see above); Signal - Communication Troops of the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union; Russian Signal Troops); Chemical (but see above); Motor Transport; Railroad, and Road Troops "provide[d] combat support to the combined arms field forces of the ground forces. They also support the other components of the armed forces. For this reason, they are administered centrally from directorates in the MOD." Services included Medical Troops; veterinary; topographical survey (военно-топографическую службу); finance, military justice; band (Military Band Service Directorate (or Directorate of Military Music) in the MOD); intendance (quartermaster); and administrative. Rear services (logistics) included a variety of Specialised Troops; Automotive Troops, which provided drivers and mechanics, and the construction components, including the Railway Troops (see Russian Railway Troops and including armoured trains); the Road Troops (ru:Дорожные войска); and the Pipeline Troops; plus army dogs and veterinary troops. Other branches might have included Cavalry; smoke troops; army propaganda troops; fortification engineers and fortification signals; military field police; military academies; mobilisation processing personnel (including Voenkomats, Military commissariats).