Stalin ' s little joke . M Stalin , the Soviet dictator , resting his arm on the shoulder of K E Veroshilov , Defence Commissar , as they laughed together at a collective farmers conference in Moscow . M Voroshilov is making his first appearance in the uniform of a Marshal of the Soviet Union . , the rank to which he was recently promoted . This uniform is more ornate than is used in Russia . It bears a large gold embroided star on red collar patches and a large gold embroidered star and gold stripes on the cuff . 27 December 1935