 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.