More about the uniform...

During the 1990's the Soviet Union had begun adopting camouflage uniforms for general purpose use.  This began in 1985 the VDV and Naval Infantry with the different TTsKO patterns.  The air force also began introducing low visibility uniforms for its pilots and aircrew, likely as a result of experiences in Afghanistan.  The M-1955 flight suits were issued in khaki color.  A new TTsKO flight suit also entered service around 1985. 

Yet, by the late 1980's there was a desire to transition to a new camouflage uniform as a standard uniform.  The result was known in the West as the VSR pattern when it was first seen in 1990.  It used various green and red-brown color splotches over a light green base, though numerous variations were also made.  By 1992 this pattern was also applied to the M-1955 flight suit.  It would provide useful camouflage for pilots in temperate (European) climates just as the khaki and TTsKO versions did in the mountains and deserts of Afghanistan.

It is known to have been worn in the mid-1990's by pilots in a Discovery Channel documentary (3).  The ultimate fate of the uniform is unclear due to lack of documentation.  It is possible that the uniform may have been replaced by the new 'Flora' or 'Arbuz' camouflage pattern, though no examples of this have yet been seen.  In desert regions the TTsKO flight suit continued to be used well into the 2000's, so it is possible the VSR flight suit did the same.  More investigation is required to answer this question.

The trousers have two thigh pockets, while the fly is fastened by a single row of buttons.  The boots are the typical Soviet pilot variety that use laces, but have a zipper along the side.  If worn in cool weather, pilots still had the option of wearing the leather jacket.

The ZSh-5 (защитний шлем) protective helmet is one of several helmets that can be used in conjunction with this suit (other options are the ZSh-3 and ZSh-7).  It is a single piece helmet that is worn with the Kh-34 oxygen mask.

Like most other Soviet helmets, the ZSh-5 has no form of integral communications.  This feature is provided by a throat microphone found attached to the cables of the helmet.

Service Chronology

The VSR camouflage pattern was first seen by many in the West in Carey Schofield's book "Inside the Soviet Military" which showed a photo of the pattern dating from 1990(1).  It was not surprising to see that two years later the camouflage pattern had been adapted for use on the old M-1955 flight suits(2).   A documented 'exact date of issue' has not been found, however, the above uniform is dated 1992.  This has been confirmed with literature and other examples. 

Although it is known that the uniform was in use prior to 1994, we have chosen to give it the designation M-1994 because that was the time when it and all other Russian Federation uniforms were approved by Ministry of Defense orders.  Throughout the 1990's the uniform served alongside the older blue M-1955 pattern.  It is not certain whether the pattern was issued in a winter or tropical variant.  There is also little information about when the uniform was phased out of service - was it replaced by a M-1998 'Flora' variant or only in 2010 with the adoption of the 'Yudashkin' pattern flight suits seen in the actions in Syria.  Naturally, this will be amended as further information becomes available.

*Likely replaced by either the M-1998 'Flora' (if one was ever issued) or the M-2010 Yudashkin pattern.