The Afghanka () (proper designation: M88) is a type of military uniform system developed and issued by the Soviet Army in the early 1980s, still in use today in some Post-Soviet states in many different variants. The name Afghanka is an unofficial popular slang term in Russian for the uniform, derived from its prolific use during the Soviet–Afghan War. All the non-sand coloured versions of the M88 are not called Afghanka. They are typically made of cotton ( or "Х/б", "cotton paper"). Design details The Afghanka field uniform is made in a lightweight summer and heavier, lined winter version; both consist of a long, loose fitting 6-pocket BDU-style jacket with large stand-and-fall collar, epaulettes, concealed buttons, armpit vents, and tube-style field trousers with cargo pouches on the thighs. A field cap made from sturdier cotton and featuring ear flaps which could be unbuttoned and lowered to protect the ears was supplied with the uniform. The winter model is composed of: jacket, jacket liner, trousers, plus insulated liners and suspenders. The liners are buttoned into their respective garments, and the outer garment can be worn without the liners. The jacket liner bears the fur collar of the jacket, usually in fish fur but occasionally in real fur (officer's uniforms). The jacket and trousers are lined with a pile-type material that helps insulate by trapping warm air, whereas the liners are made of a quilted material similar to the Telogreika uniform. Colouring Both uniforms were originally made in a khaki-coloured material, but later types were developed in olive drab, tan, and sage green, allegedly intended for use in different environmental theatres of operation. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the Afghanka has been copied and issued widely by CIS members in various localized camouflage patterns. Operational history The Afghanka began appearing in military units in the early 1980s during the Soviet–Afghan War, hence the name. The design of the jacket and trousers may have been based on similar patterns used by other Warsaw Pact armies such as the Nationale Volksarmee of the GDR. Initially only used in Afghanistan, the Afghanka uniform was in very short supply and was often issued to units rather than individuals and passed around as necessary for various duties. By the end of the 1980s, it had become possible for every soldier to be issued their own. Individual soldiers began marking the collars of their uniforms with