Gallery
Yakov Sverdlov
Derzky class or Bespokoiny class
Izyaslav class
Project 20 Tashkent class
Project 7 Gnevny class
Project 7U Soobrazitelnyy class
Project 30 Ognevoy class
There were fourteen different classes of destroyers that were used by the Soviet Navy in World War II:
The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with the opposing superpower, the United States, during the cold war period between the two countries. The influence of the Soviet Navy played a large role in the events involving the Cold War (1945-1991), as the majority of conflicts centred around the American-led NATO alliance in western Europe or power projection to maintain its sphere of influence in eastern Europe.
The Sverdlov-class cruisers, Soviet designation Project 68bis, were the last conventional gun cruisers built for the Soviet Navy. They were built in the 1950s and were based on Soviet, German, and Italian designs and concepts developed prior to the Second World War. They were modified to improve their sea keeping capabilities, allowing them to run at high speed in the rough waters of the North Atlantic. The basic hull was more modern and had better armor protection than the vast majority of the post World War II gun cruiser designs built and deployed by peer nations. They also carried an extensive suite of modern radar equipment and anti-aircraft artillery. The Soviets originally planned to build 40 ships in the class, which would be supported by the Stalingrad-class battlecruisers and aircraft carriers.
Storozhevoy was the lead ship of her class of 18 destroyers built for the Soviet Navy during the late 1930s. Although she began construction as a Project 7 Gnevny-class destroyer, Storozhevoy was completed in 1940 to the modified Project 7U design.
The Tashkent class consisted of a single destroyer leader, built in Italy for the Soviet Navy just before World War II. Three others were ordered from shipyards in the Soviet Union, but they were cancelled before they were laid down as they were too difficult to build with the existing technology in Soviet shipyards. Completed in 1940, Tashkent participated in the Sieges of Odessa and Sevastopol in 1941–1942, during which she ferried reinforcements and supplies into those cities, evacuated wounded and refugees, and provided naval gunfire support for Soviet troops. The ship was badly damaged twice by Axis bombers before she was sunk in harbor in mid-1942. Her wreck refloated in 1944, but it was too badly damaged to be worth repairing and was scrapped after the war.
The Storozhevoyclass were a group of 18 destroyers built for the Soviet Navy in the late 1930s that were officially known as Project 7U. The design was finalised in 1936 after initial disappointments with the Gnevny class. The main changes were unit machinery, a strengthened hull and reduced fuel capacity. The anti-aircraft guns were repositioned to improve firing arcs. The ships fought in World War II.
The six Leningrad-class destroyer leaders were built for the Soviet Navy in the late 1930s. They were inspired by the contre-torpilleurs built for the French Navy. They were ordered in two batches of three ships each; the first group was designated Project 1 and the second Project 38. These ships were the first large vessels designed and built by the Soviets after the October Revolution of 1917.
Opytny was the only member of her class of destroyers built for the Soviet Navy during the 1930s. The Soviet designation for her class was Project 45. She was completed in 1941 and fought in World War II as part of the Baltic Fleet. She was indigenously designed in contrast to the Type 7 which was built with Italian assistance and intended as a prototype for future Soviet destroyers. She was not a successful ship, with severe problems with her machinery and stability. Her intended armament of twin-gun turrets were transferred to the destroyer leader Tashkent and replaced by single gun mounts.
The Ognevoy-class destroyers were a series of destroyers built for the Soviet Navy during and immediately after World War II. The Soviet designation was Project 30 and Project 30K.
Novík was a destroyer of the Russian Imperial Navy and Soviet Navy, commissioned in 1913 where she served with the Baltic Fleet during World War I. She joined the Bolsheviks in November 1917 and was renamed Yakov Sverdlov in 1923. She was a training ship when Operation Barbarossa began, but was recalled to active duty the following day. She struck a mine on 28 August 1941 and sank while escorting an evacuation convoy during the Soviet evacuation of Tallinn.
The Black Sea Campaigns were the operations of the Axis and Soviet naval forces in the Black Sea and its coastal regions during World War II between 1941 and 1944, including in support of the land forces.
The 130 mm/50 B13 Pattern 1936 was a 130 mm (5.1 in) 50 caliber Soviet naval gun. The gun was used as a standard destroyer weapon during World War II, and it was also used as a coastal gun and railway gun. The gun was produced in three different versions which all had incompatible ammunition and range tables. Mountings for the weapon included single open mounts and twin turrets. Besides the Soviet Union, the gun was used on ships sold or donated to Poland, People's Republic of China, Egypt and Indonesia. Finland captured five guns during Continuation War and used them until the 1990s.
Tbilisi was one of six Leningrad-class destroyer leaders built for the Soviet Navy during the 1930s, one of the three Project 38 variants. Completed in 1940, the ship was assigned to the Pacific Fleet, with which she spent World War II. Tbilisi laid minefields outside Vladivostok early in the war and during the Soviet–Japanese War transported naval infantry in preparation for an amphibious landing in Korea. Postwar, she continued to serve with the Pacific Fleet and began a lengthy overhaul in 1951 that lasted until 1955. Converted into a target ship in 1958, she was finally struck from the Navy List in 1964 and scrapped.
Tashkent was the lead ship of her class of destroyer leaders, built in Italy for the Soviet Navy just before World War II. The problems of the previous Leningrad-class destroyer leaders demonstrated that Russian design experience had atrophied in the years since the Russian Revolution of 1917, and the Soviets contracted for design assistance from Fascist Italy in the mid-1930s. Delivered without any armament in 1939, Tashkent was given a temporary armament when she entered service with the Black Sea Fleet in late 1940. She was having her permanent armament installed when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in mid-1941.
Bodry was one of 29 Gnevny-class destroyers built for the Soviet Navy during the late 1930s. Completed in 1938, she was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the ship covered the evacuation of the Danube Flotilla to Odessa the following month. During the Siege of Odessa, Bodry transported troops and supplies while providing naval gunfire support to the defenders and then helped to evacuate them in October. During the Siege of Sevastopol, she performed the same sorts of missions and then participated in the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula at the end of 1941. The ship bombarded German troops in January 1942 before beginning repairs the following month. Bodry was badly damaged during a German air raid in July and was under repair until the end of 1944.
Bezuprechny was one of 29 Gnevny-class destroyers built for the Soviet Navy during the late 1930s. Completed in 1939, she was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the ship laid minefields and participated in the Siege of Odessa, ferrying men and supplies to the beleaguered city and providing naval gunfire support. Bezuprechny was damaged by German aircraft in September and was under repair for most of the rest of the year. During the Siege of Sevastopol, the ship resumed her duties in late December, only with a different destination. She was sunk by German aircraft while transporting supplies and troops on 26 June 1942 with the loss of approximately 300 crewmen and 320 passengers.
Bditelny was one of 29 Gnevny-class destroyers built for the Soviet Navy during the late 1930s. Completed in 1939, she was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union began in 1941, the ship provided naval gunfire support during the Siege of Odessa. Frequently under repair due to running aground in 1941, Bditelny was unable to support the defenders of Sevastopol until early 1942 when she began to ferry supplies and troops there while also bombarding German positions outside the besieged city. She was sunk during a German airstrike in July when some of her torpedoes exploded. Her wreck was salvaged for scrap between 1948 and 1952.
Razyaryonny was one of 29 Gnevny-class destroyers built for the Soviet Navy during the late 1930s. Originally named Peredovoy, she was renamed Razyaryonny before completion in late 1941, and was assigned to the Pacific Fleet.
Smely was one of 18 Storozhevoy-class destroyers built for the Soviet Navy during the late 1930s. Although she began construction as a Project 7 Gnevny-class destroyer, Smely was completed in 1941 to the modified Project 7U design.
Stroyny was one of 18 Storozhevoy-class destroyers built for the Soviet Navy during the late 1930s. Although she began construction as a Project 7 Gnevny-class destroyer, Stroyny was completed in 1942 to the modified Project 7U design.
Smyshlyony was one of 18 Storozhevoy-class destroyer built for the Soviet Navy during the late 1930s. Although she began construction as a Project 7 Gnevny-class destroyer, Smyshlyony was completed in 1940 to the modified Project 7U design.