Poruchik

Soviet poster advertising "Poruchik Kijé" film.Poruchik (Croatian: poručnik, Czech: poručík, Polish: porucznik, Russian: пору́чик, Serbian: поручник, Slovak: poručík) is a military rank in several Slavic countries, such as the Russian Empire and the Republic of Poland, equivalent to Lieutenant. "Poruchik" means "messenger", "officer for orders". This is a Slavic (Czech) copy of the term "Lieutenant" (locum tenens).

In Russia this rank was first introduced in Strelets New Regiments, the rank legalised by the Table of Ranks. A podporuchik is simply a Sub-Poruchik. At various times, there were also Captain-Poruchik ranks in both Army and Navy; naval Poruchik eventually ended as Lieutenant.
 * Shoulder boards of Poruchik (Поручик) in the Russian Empire
 * Shoulder boards of modern Polish Porucznik

In Russian Culture
The contemporary image of a "poruchik" is of a young, swashbuckling, cavalry lieutenant. This is exemplified by the two most famous fictional poruchiks: Kijé and Rzhevsky.