World Battleships List: Russian and Soviet Dreadnoughts


Revised 7 October 2001
Version 1.23
Compiled and Maintained by: Andrew Toppan (actoppan@hazegray.org)
URL: http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/battleships/


This list includes all Russian/Soviet post-Dreadnought Battleships,
Battlecruisers and Large Cruisers.

General Notes: Russian dreadnoughts were generally more lightly
armored than foreign ships.  They were split between the Baltic and Black
Seas, and normally did not transfer between fleets.  The ships generally
suffered from poor maintenance and frequent revolutions.  Various
reconstructions were carried out, but the ships usually fell into
disrepair again.  1930's/WWII/postwar designs failed to produce any ships. 
Most battleships were destroyed or damaged beyond repair before or during
WWII. The last battleships left service in the 1950's; they had been
inoperable or reduced to subsidiary duties for some time before that. 


Gangut Class battleships

Displ: 23,360 tons normal; 25,850 tons full load Dim: 594.5 x 87 x 30 ft Prop: Steam turbines, 25 boilers, 4 shafts, 42,000 hp, 23 knots Crew: 1126 Arm: 4 triple 12/52, 16 4.7/50, 4 47 mm, 4 18 inch TT (sub) Armor: 3.9-8.9 inch belt, 1.5-3 inch decks, 7.9 inch barbettes, 12 inch turrets, 9.8 inch CT Cross between battleship and battlecruiser, known as "Baltic Dreadnoughts". Obsolete by the time they were finished. These ships served in the Baltic throughout their careers, except as noted. All ships to Bolshevik control 7-8/1917, demobilized 1/1918. All were in very poor condition at the end of the Civil War and were effectively out of commission. Survivors modernized 1920's and again 1930's, receiving new boilers, clipper bows, raised forecastle, larger superstructure, new fire controls, and large masts. Some 4.7 inch guns and the cranes and seaplanes were removed just before WWII; light AA added. Used as floating batteries during WWII with crew reduced by 1/3 and some 4.7 inch removed. Gangut Built by Admiralty Yard, St. Petersburg. Laid down 16 June 1909, launched 7 Oct 1911, completed 12/1914. Laid up late 1918. Renamed Oktyabrskaya Revoluciya 27 May 1925, recommissioned 23 March 1926. New machinery fitted 1930's. Damaged by bombs 21 Sept 1941 and 4 April 1942, repaired by 11/1942. New armament was 12 12 inch, 10 4.7 inch, 6 3 inch, 10 .5 inch MG, 89 .3 inch MG, 4 450 mm TT. Fitted with 4 dual 3 inch, 16 37 mm AA later in the war. Operational as training ship at least until 1950, superstructure and turrets removed 7/1956, hulk scrapped 1959. Petropavlovsk Built by Baltic Yard, St. Petersburg. Laid down 16 June 1909 (possibly 3 July 1909), launched 9 Sept 1911 (possibly 27 August 1911), completed 12/1914. Commissioned in the Red Navy 11/1918. Sunk in shallow water by three torpedoes 17 Aug 1919. Salvaged and repaired; renamed Marat 31 May 1921, recommissioned by the Soviets 1922. Extensively reconstructed 1928-8 April 1931. Sunk by bombs 23 Sept 1941 in shallow water; forward hull completely destroyed. Partially salvaged and employed as a stationary artillery battery. Returned to original name 31 May 1943. Reclassified as a stationary artillery training ship 28 November 1950 and renamed Volkhov. Reclassified as a stationary school ship 22 September 1951. Scrapped 1953. Poltava Built by Admiralty Yard, St. Petersburg. Laid down 16 June 1909, launched 19 July 1911, completed 17 Dec 1914. Laid up late 1918, severely damaged by fire 24 Nov 1919, deemed not worth repairing. Experimental hulk 1925, renamed Frunze 7 Jan 1926. Repairs started 1928, cancelled mid 1930's. Plans to rebuild as a battlecruiser or carrier cancelled. Used as barracks hulk and stripped for parts. Scuttled as blockship 1941, raised 1944, scrapped 1956. Sevastopol Built by Baltic Yard, St. Petersburg. Laid down 16 June 1909, launched 27 June 1911, completed 17 Nov 1914. Laid up late 1918. Renamed Parizhskaya Kommuna 31 March 1921, recommissioned 1923. Overhauled, recommissioned 17 Sept 1925. Transferred to the Black Sea 1929-1930. Bulged 1930's. Damaged by bombs 1943 and remained inactive for some time. Returned to original name 1943. 1944 armament was 12 12 inch, 12 4.7 inch, 6 3 inch, 12 37 mm, 14 .5 inch MG. Training ship postwar, scrapped 1957.

Imperatritsa Mariya Class battleships

Displ: 22,600 tons normal; 24,000 tons full load (Ekaterina: 23,873 tons normal; 24,960 tons full load) Dim: 550.5 x 89.5 x 27.5 ft (Ekaterina: 557 x 91.5 x 27.5 ft) Prop: Steam turbines, 20 boilers, 4 shafts, 26,500 hp, 21 knots Crew: 1220 Arm: 4 triple 12.52, 20 5.1/55, 8 75 mm, 4 47 mm, 4 MG, 4 18 inch TT (sub) Armor: 5-11 inch belt, 3 inch decks, 10 inch barbettes, 12 inch turrets, 12 inch CT Improved Gangut design. All served in the Black Sea. Imperatritsa Mariya Built by Russud Yard, Nikolayev. Laid down 30 Oct 1911, launched 1 Nov 1913, completed 6 July 1915. Destroyed by powder explosion 20 Oct 1916. Raised 1918, scrapped 1922. Volya (ex Imperator Aleksander III) Built by Russud Yard, Nikolayev. Laid down 30 Oct 1911, launched 15 April 1914, renamed 29 April 1917, completed 28 June 1917. To independent Ukraine 29 April 1918, seized by the Germans and commissioned 15 Oct 1918. To the British 11/1918, to the White Russians as General Alekseev 17 Oct 1919. Interned at Bizerta following the White Russian's collapse 8/1920. Decommissioned 1924, scrapped by the French by 1936. Imperatritsa Ekaterina Velikaya (ex Ekaterina II) Built by Nikolayev. Laid down 30 Oct 1911, launched 6 June 1911, renamed 27 June 1915, completed 18 Oct 1915. Renamed Svobodnaya Rossiya 29 April 1917. To Bolshevik control 4/1918, sunk 18 June 1918 to prevent capture by the Germans.

Imperator Nikolai I Class battleship

Displ: 27,300 tons normal Dim: 616.5 x 94.5 x 26.5 ft Prop: Steam turbines, 20 boilers, 4 shafts, 27,300 hp, 21 knots Crew: 1252 Arm: 4 triple 12/52, 20 single 5.1/55, 8 75 mm, 4 47 mm, 4 18 inch TT (sub) Armor: 3.9-12 inch belt, 4 inch decks, 10 inch barbettes, 12 inch turrets, 12 inch CT Improved version of the previous class. Would have served in the Black Sea. Imperator Nikolai I Built by Russus Yard, Nikolayev. Laid down 28 Jan 1915, launched 18 Oct 1916, renamed Demokratiya 29 April 1917. Captured by the Germans 2/1918, destroyed by the Allies 1919 to prevent capture by the Russians. Hulk scrapped 1923-24.

Borodino Class battlecruisers

Displ: 32,500 tons normal; 38,000 tons full load Dim: 750 x 100 x 33.5 ft Prop: Steam turbines, 25 boilers, 4 shafts, 68,000 hp, 26.5 knots Crew: about 1250 Arm: 4 triple 14/52, 24 single 5.1/55, 4 63 mm, 4 MG, 6 21 inch TT Armor: 3.9-9.4 inch belt, 2.4 inch deck, 9.8 inch barbettes, 12 inch turrets, 15.7 inch CT All delayed by lack of materials and labor problems. Would have served in the Baltic Sea. Borodino Built by Admiralty Yard, St. Petersburg. Laid down 19 Dec 1913, launched 1 July 1915. Suspended 1917. Sold to Germany 1922, scrapped 1923. Izmail Built by Baltic Yard, St. Petersburg. Laid down 19 Dec 1913, launched 27 June 1915. Suspended and laid up. Plans for completion to modernized design or as aircraft carrier cancelled, scrapped 1931. Kinburn Built by Baltic Yard, St. Petersburg. Laid down 19 Dec 1913, launched 30 Oct 1915. Suspended 1917. Sold to Germany 1922, scrapped 1923. Navarin Built by Admiralty Yard, St. Petersburg. Laid down 19 Dec 1913, launched 9 Nov 1916. Suspended 1917. Sold to Germany 1922, scrapped 1923.

Sovyetskiy Soyuz Class battleships

Displ: 59,150 tons normal; 65,150 tons full load Dim: 883 x 127.5 x 34 ft Prop: Steam turbines, 12 420 psi boilers, 3 shafts, 231,000 hp, 28 knots Crew: 1664 Arm: 3 triple 16/50, 6 dual 6/57, 4 dual 3.9/56, 16 dual 37 mm, 8 .50 cal MG Armor: 14.8-16.7 inch belt, 5.9 inch deck, 19.5 inch turrets, 16.7 inch CT Original planned completion date was 1941. Sovyetskiy Soyuz Built by Baltic Shipyard. Laid down 15 July 1938, suspended 10 July 1941. Plans for completion postwar cancelled, scrapped 1948-1949. Sovyetskaya Ukraina Built by Marti Yard, Nikolayev. Laid down 31 Oct 1938, suspended 10 July 1941 when 66% complete. Captured by the Germans and partially scrapped, remains of hulk damaged during the war and scrapped 1946. Sovyetskaya Byelorussiya Built by the Molotovosk Yard. Laid down 21 Dec 1939, cancelled 19 Oct 1940. Scrapped 1945-1946. Sovyetskaya Rossiya Laid down at Molotovosk Yard 1940. Scrapped after 100 tons had been assembled.

Kronshtadt Class large cruisers

Displ: 35,240 tons standard; 38,360 tons full load Dim: 821.5 x 103.5 x 29 ft Prop: Steam turbines, 12 420 psi boilers, 3 shafts, 210,000 hp, 32 knots Crew: ??? Arm: 3 triple 12/54, 4 dual 6/57, 4 dual 3.9/56, 6 quad 37 mm, 8 .50 cal MG Armor: 9 inch belt, 3.5 inch deck, 12 inch turrets Redesigned 1940 to use 3 dual 15" turrets provided by Germany Kronshtadt Laid down 30 Nov 1939 at Marti Yard, Leningrad, cancelled. Scrapped 1950's. Sevastopol Laid down 5 Nov 1939 at 61 Kommunar Yard, Nikolayev. Captured and destroyed by the Germans.

Royal Sovereign Class battleship

Displ: 33,000+ tons deep load Dim: 624 x 88.5 x 28.5 ft Prop: Steam turbines, 18 boilers, 40,000 hp, 23 knots Crew: ??? Arm: 4 dual 15/42, 8 single 6/45, 4 dual 4 inch AA, 4 quad 2 lb AA, 30+ 20 mm AA Armor: 1-13 inch belt, 1-2 inch decks, 4-10 inch barbettes, 13 inch (max) turrets, 11 inch CT British battleship received as war reparations, pending the arrival of and ex-Italian ship. Arkhangelsk (ex British Royal Sovereign) Built by Portsmouth Navy. Laid down 15 Jan 1914, launched 29 April 1915, completed 5/1916. Fitted with bulges 1920. To the USSR 30 May 1944. Returned 9 Feb 1949, sold 5 April 1949, scrapped.

Conte Di Cavour Class battleship

Displ: 29,032 tons deep load Dim: 611.5 x 92 x 34 ft Prop: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 2 shafts, 75,000 hp, 27 knots. Crew: ??? Arm: 2 triple, 2 dual 12.59/43.8, 6 dual 4.72/50, 4 triple 3.93/47, 6 dual 37 mm, 8 dual 20 mm Armor: 10 inch belt, 11 inch barbettes, 10 inch CT Italian battleship received as war reparations. Novorossiysk (ex Italian Giulio Cesare) Built by Ansaldo, Genoa. Laid down 24 June 1910, launched 15 Oct 1911, completed 14 May 1914. Reconstructed 10/1933 to 10/1937 at Genoa. Renamed Z11 after WWII, to Russia 15 Dec 1948, sunk on German ground mine 29 Oct 1955.

Stalingrad Class large cruisers

Displ: 36,500 tons standard; 42,300 tons full load Dim: 897.5 x 105 x 30 ft Prop: Steam turbines, 280,000 hp, 35.3 knots Crew: 1700 Arm: 3 triple 12/50, 6 dual 5.1 inch, 6 quad 45 mm, 10 quad 25 mm Armor: 7 inch belt, 9.5 inch turrets Started as modified Kronshtadt design, but evolved into a very different ship. Cancelled soon after being laid down, hulls scrapped. Stalingrad Built by Nikolayev. Laid down 5 Dec 1952. Part of hull launched 1954 for armor trials, then scrapped. Moskva Built by Baltic Yard. Laid down 10/1952. Kronshtadt Built by Molotovsk Yard. Laid down 5/1955. This ship was redesigned as a missile cruiser, but that project was cancelled 10/1955. (unnamed) (unnamed) (unnamed) These three ships were planned but never laid down.

The World Battleship Lists
Compiled and Maintained by Andrew Toppan (actoppan@hazegray.org)
Copyright © 1995-2003 by Andrew Toppan
Reproduction, reuse or distribution without permission is prohibited