GOST 7396 is a series of Soviet and later Russian standards that specify basic dimensions and safety requirements for power plugs and sockets used in Russia and other former Soviet Republics, as well as for export to markets that use American or British plugs. Many official standards in Eastern Europe are virtually identical to the Schuko standard. One of the protocols governing the reunification of Germany required that the DIN and VDE standards would prevail without exception, so the former East Germany had to conform to the Schuko standard. Most other Eastern European countries use the Schuko standard internally but, prior to its collapse, they exported large volumes of appliances to the Soviet Union with the Soviet standard plug installed. Because of that, many of the Russian plugs found their way into other Eastern European countries. One peculiarity of the Soviet standard is the use of an ungrounded plug with 4.0 mm diameter pins for 6 A and a corresponding socket that would not accept the 4.8 mm diameter pins of devices that could draw as much as 16 A. These sockets were sometimes modified by enlarging the holes of the plastic covering with a 5.0 mm drill bit to accept newer plugs. Another is that sockets that in other places would be supplied with 16 A may have been wired for only 10 A during the Soviet era. The series includes the following standards:
GOST 7396.1-89 Plugs and Socket-Outlets for Household and Similar Purposes - Basic Dimensions
GOST 7396.2-91 Plugs and Socket-Outlets for Household and Similar Purposes - Particular Requirements for Fused Plugs - General Technical Specifications
Group A
Group A connectors consist of the non-locking NEMA connectors, which are defined for the assistance of exporters. Thus for example, an A 5-15 plug is the standard NEMA 5-15 household grounded plug used in North America.
Group B
Group B connectors are also defined for the assistance of exporters to countries that use connectors based on British standards. The B 1 series defines the BS 546 3 pin unfused plugs of 2 A, 5 A, and 15 A, while the B 2 plug is the same as the BS 1363 fused plug.
Group C
Group C connectors are various CEE 7 plugs used in continental Europe, with allowances made for various Soviet era plugs that are compatible with them. Note that in Soviet-era construction the 16 A versions may be supplied with only a 10 A service. ; C 1 2-pin ungrounded 6 A and 16 A ; C 2 CEE 7/4 Schuko 16 A ; C 3 CEE 7/6 French 16 A ; C 4 CEE 7/7 16 A :This is the compromise plug designed to be accepted and to be grounded in both the Schuko and French sockets. The plug will fit into the 16 A variety of the C 1 socket, but will not be grounded. ; C 5 CEE 7/16 Europlug 2.5 A ; C 6 CEE 7/17 16 A
