Kirov class cruiser
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The Kirov class cruisers were six vessels built between 1935-1944 for the Soviet Navy: Kirov, Voroshilov, Maxim Gorky, Molotov, Kalinin, and Kaganovich. After the first two ships, armor protection was increased and subsequent ships are sometimes called the Maxim Gorky class.
Kirov served 1937-1974 in the Baltic Sea, and was one of the few large Soviet ships to survive World War II. She was part of the Light Battle Group together with the cruiser Maxim Gorky and nine destroyers.
During the Winter War, she battled with Finnish forts at Hanko and Russaro.
When the German advance in Operation Barbarossa was nearing Estonia, Kirov was the flagship of the evacuation fleet from Tallinn to Leningrad in August 1941. She hit mines but survived, while 50 other Soviet ships were lost.
1941-1944 - The Soviet fleet in the Baltic Sea was mostly blocked in Leningrad and Kronstadt by Finnish and German minefields.
On 4 April 1942 Kirov was sunk in an air attack in the German operation "Eisstoß" by Luftflotte 1, but was raised and repaired during 1943.
During June 1944, Kirov provided fire support for the Soviet Army's attack toward Vyborg. During the 1960s, Kirov served as a training ship, regularly visiting Poland and East Germany.
When Kirov was decommissioned, two gun turrets were installed at St Petersburg as a monument.
Voroshilov and Molotov served in the Black Sea, defending Sevastopol against German attacks. Molotov had British radar installed (probably Type 282 or 285?).
Kaganovich and Kalinin were towed incomplete to Vladivostok. Although both were finished before end of war, they saw no action.
Specifications
- Displacement: 7,880t standard
- Length: 191 m
- Beam: 17.7 m
- Draught: 7.2 m
- Armament1:
- 3× 3×180mm cal 57 guns
- 6× 100mm cal 56 guns in single mountings
- 6× 45mm anti-aircraft guns in single mountings
- 4× 12.7mm AA-machine guns in single mountings
- 2× 3×21 inch (533mm) torpedo tubes
- 2 KOR-1 seaplanes
- 60-150 Mines
- Maximum Speed: 36kts
- Complement: 870
1 Ships were rearmed during war - while rebuilding, AA armament was often increased.