Podpolkovnik () is a military rank in Slavic and nearby countries which corresponds to the lieutenant colonel in the English-speaking states and military. In different languages the exact name of this rank maintains a variety of spellings. The transliteration is also in common usage for the sake of tradition dating back to the Old Slavonic word "polk" (literally: regiment sized unit), and include the following names in alphabetical order: Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia — () Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia — () Bulgaria — Czech Republic — () Georgia — () North Macedonia — Poland — () Russia — (podpolkovnik) () Slovenia — Slovakia — Ukraine — (pidpolkovnyk) Russia In Russia, the rank of lieutenant colonel is called (). First it appeared in Russia as appointment or assignment to the assistant or deputy commander of a regiment sized military formation at the end of the 15th — early 16th century. In the Streltsy formations, as a general role, the was responsible for all administrative tasks and functions. Normally it was of nobility or boyar origin. From the 17th - to early 17th century there was a rank and an appointment under the designation (). Beyond its normal responsibilities, he was in charge to command the second half of the regiment, the rear -, reserve -, and other regular units (until the introduction of the battalion structure). Russian Empire From the introduction of the Russian table of ranks to the abolishment in 1917 was quoted to rank positioned VII, and until 1856 it was privileged by hereditary nobility. In 1884, as the rank in the Russian army was suppressed, all , by exemption of retirement, loss of civil rights, or mercilessly, were converted to . From this moment, the rank was equivalent to the rank armed forces' (, ). Before 1884, the armed forces' starshina was adequate to . In line to this reform, the shoulder board rank insignia had been changed from two big stars to three smaller ones. To the formations of the so-called leyb-guard (), the rank had not been introduced. Normally, officers might have been promoted to immediately, by skipping the ranks and . In the Imperial Russian Navy, the rank Kapitan 2nd rank was equivalent to , in the civil administration it was corresponding to privy councillor (). The rank was abolished 16 December 1917, together with all previous ranks and rank insignia of