The cruiser "Zhdanov" - the Soviet cruiser of the "68-bis" project: main characteristics, date of launching, armament, combat path

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Built at the Leningrad plant under number 419, the Zhdanov command cruiser was named after a prominent socialist figure. This ship is known for its voyages, the courage of the crew and the skillful leadership of the ship's captain. For those interested, the characteristics of this ship, built according to the successful 68-bis project, seem especially curious.

How it all began

The famous Soviet cruiser experienced its first celebration in January 1953 - on the 25th, the flag of the state's fleet was solemnly raised on it. The formation took place with the participation of the commander of the eighth formation of the KBF. The ship is assigned to the Tallinn base. The ship was built by the Leningrad 189th plant named after Ordzhonikidze. Transport released under the 419th number. The name was chosen in honor of a famous Soviet figure, born in the nineteenth century and who died in 1948. Zhdanov during his political career was the secretary of the regional committee of the CPSU (b) in Leningrad. The acceptance certificate for the ship was issued on the last day of December 1952. From now on, the ship is in service.

Although the port of registry of the Zhdanov cruiser was Tallinn, this does not mean that the ship was located here all the time. For the first time, a long-distance voyage in the history of the ship took place in 1957, when a light ship was sent to Yugoslavia in the fall. During the voyage, Syria was also visited, after which the cruiser returned. The crew of the ship successfully completed all the tasks assigned to it. As a result of the event, the discipline of the staff, the exceptional training of all personnel, and the organizational abilities of the management team were noted. All sailors, foremen, officers who became participants in this 1957 campaign of the year received a special token confirming participation in a long sea passage.

The story continues

The date of launching the cruiser Zhdanov is 1950-27-12, and from that moment the glorious history of the ship and its crew began. Fifteen years after the first appearance in the native element, the cruiser was sent to the factory docks. According to the program, it was planned to re-equip the ship, repair it on a medium scale, and modernize it somewhat. The ship was built according to the 68-bis project, but the modernization was expected to be such that, based on its results, it would be possible to consider a ship of type 68-U1, that is, a full-fledged control cruiser. In 1971, the ship successfully passed autumn tests at the plant; closer to the beginning of winter, statetests also successfully passed by the machine and its personnel.

Since 1971, the cruiser of project 68 bis has been finally retrained in KRU. From that moment on, the ship is used to control the forces of the fleet and its resources. The cruiser is designed for the formation commander and is equipped with everything necessary for constant communication with personnel. At the same time, equipment was installed for collecting information, analyzing and storing it. The most modern means of communication for that year, including satellites, were installed on the ship.

Completion of the story of the ship

The cruiser built according to the 68-bis project, then converted into KRU, from the second month of 1989, loses its former name, received in honor of a party leader. From that moment on, the ship is called KRU 101. The beginning of the summer of the same year was marked by a transfer to the reserve forces. The crew transfers ammunition to responsible organizations, escorts the vehicle to Troitskaya Bay, where it will have to defend itself. In December of the same year, the Ministry of Defense of the state issues an order in which it notes the unsatisfactory condition of the ship. At the same time, the authorities of the country admit that it is not possible to continue to use the ship as a switchgear. From that moment on, the 101st ship was excluded from the combat strength of the Soviet flotilla. In the near future it should be scrapped.

The order according to which the ship, which was previously equipped with advanced technology and a satellite navigation system, was expelled from the Navy was signed on 1990-10-05. The official document was released under Kasatonov's visa. Issued with the number 0163. From this moment, work begins on the complete disarmament of the ship, the eliminationequipment and technical support. By mid-October, everything was ready for the lowering of the flag, which happened on 1990-24-10. From that moment, the crew serving the cruiser was disbanded. It was decided to sell the vehicle for scrap. The deal was concluded with a foreign interested company, scrapping was supposed in India.

About parameters

Most of all people who are passionate about the fleet are interested in the main characteristics of the Zhdanov cruiser. According to the documentation that has come down to us, the displacement reached 17,890 tons. The ship moved at a speed of up to 32 knots, that is, it traveled a little less than 60 km per hour. The total range of completed transitions reached nine thousand miles (about 17,000 km). The staff consisted of 1083 units. Propulsion system - with two shafts. The ship was equipped with two turbo-gear systems, designed in accordance with the TV-7 standard design.

The length of the ship reached 210 m, the draft was estimated at 730 cm, and the width was almost 23 m. 27 thousand.

Weapons

The armament of the Zhdanov cruiser was quite powerful for its time. Three towers built according to the MK-5BIS project were put on the ship. Each was calculated on three guns. The caliber of the artillery system is 152 mm. Also installed 6 x 2 universal gun systems with a caliber of 100 mm. 122 artillery mounts built according to the M3A project acted as anti-aircraft artilleryAT 11. Caliber - 37 mm. Finally, 42 installations according to the AK-230 project, caliber - 30 mm.

Additionally, the ship was equipped with Osa missile launchers.

Dates and events

As mentioned above, for the first time the flag was raised on the ship on 1953-25-01. Exactly one year after this event, Kuznetsov, who at that moment held the position of commander-in-chief of the country's fleets, arrives on the cruiser, named after Andrei Aleksandrovich Zhdanov. Two years after the raising of the flag, the ship is officially enrolled in the combined fleet of the B altic. A little less than a year passes after this moment, and in November the transport participates in a rescue operation - the personnel of the Revenge submarine need help. A year later, the first long sea voyage begins. The cruiser was sent to it, accompanied by the Svobodny. The ship moves forward under the control of Gavrilov. The flag of Kotov was hoisted on transport. First, the Yugoslav settlement of Split was visited, the visit took place on September 12-18. Since the 21st of the same month, the cruiser has been in Syrian Latania.

Derived from its name in honor of the Soviet political figure Andrei Alexandrovich Zhdanov, the transport was mothballed for the first time in the spring of 1960, this period continues until February 1965. At this time, the vessel is still in its home port, belongs to the reserve. From the beginning of March, the transport will be reactivated and introduced into the number of ships that are constantly ready for operation in combat conditions. In October of the same year, sailing from the home base to Sevastopol begins. The route runsaround the European powers. The vessel moves under the command of Maksimov. In December of the same year, repair work began at Sevmorzavod, as a result of which the ship was improved with the latest technologies.

New days and new milestones

On one of the cold November days of 1970, the crew of the Zhdanov cruiser had the honor to welcome representatives of the SMEs, the GUK, the Main Staff of the VF on its territory. Gorshkov, who at that moment held the position of commander in chief, also honored the ship with his attention. In May next year, trials begin, which the ship successfully passes by September of the same year, and already in October it was decided to move on to state trials. On November 27, an acceptance certificate is drawn up, from the end of the year they change the class and status of transport. From that moment on, the crew was under the control of Proskuryakov, Kornikov was his deputy for political work, and Shakun was taken as the first mate. Completely re-equipment is completed by the beginning of the last month of 1971. From now on, transport has the most advanced satellite navigation system and technology to receive and process a huge amount of information.

In mid-January next year, the transport is revisited by the highest ranks of the Navy. The inspection takes place under the control of the Chief of the General Staff Sergeev. Since April of this year, the ship has been transferred to the 150th brigade of large ships equipped with missiles. In August, the ship moves to the North Sea base. The first autumn month is marked by participation in the KSU on the topic of providing communications. After the completion of the exercise, the cruiser becomes the venue for the organization of the meeting. The event is under controlGorshkov and unites all the highest ranks of the sovereign flotilla. A month later, the ship leaves the port of stay, accompanied by several ships, including submarines. Transport has everything you need to overcome the defense lines in Gibr altar and near the Faroe Islands of Iceland. Vessels are sent to serve in the Mediterranean Sea. One day, a severe storm broke out at sea, which caused the officer of the representative set to be overloaded onto a destroyer bound for Conakry. The uniqueness of the event is that a wake operation was carried out without stopping the course of transport. According to official reports, at that moment the wind was blowing at a speed of up to 35 m / s, the waves were estimated at seven points. The Captain commanded the transition.

The story continues

In November 1972, the Zhdanov cruiser took over the staff of the fifth allied naval squadron, which at that moment was controlled by Volobuev. The personnel transferred to the vessel from the Viktor Kotelnikov floating base. Subsequently, the headquarters was again transferred to the base, and by the second of December the cruiser returned to Sevastopol, where repair work began in mid-January. On the 25th of the same year, they celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the first hoisting of the flag on the ship. The event was marked by the issuance of a commemorative medal. Repair work was completed by the third of February, and on the fifth of March the ship again went into free waves, heading for the Atlantic. Combat exercises and training work were organized with the participation of aviation and the involvement of other seafaring facilities. In part, the exercises took place in extremely difficultconditions of North Atlantic storms.

Once again, the Zhdanov cruiser set off on May 16th. This voyage lasted until the ninth of August. About a hundred sailors and several foremen fell under an order specially issued by representatives of the Ministry of Defense, in accordance with which they were forced to serve three months more than the originally prescribed period. Three days after the start of this voyage, the management of the fifth squadron boarded the ship. On the last day of May, the headquarters moved to the Grozny ship, while Zhdanov was ordered to go to the Atlantic to provide Brezhnev with communications - at that moment the Secretary General was supposed to fly to New York, Cuba, and then to France. The political situation changed, which required the ship to travel 1240 miles towards the Faroe Islands. The average speed during this period reached 26 knots. Government officials kept the way back through Paris, which required a new traverse, already in the direction of the Azores.

Dates and numbers: events in history

As it is known from the logbook of the cruiser Zhdanov, on the first day of July 1973, midshipman Nikitin was forced to dive into the Atlantic waters in a diving suit at the time of the traverse of Gibr altar. The reason was the need to urgently clean the screws, around which three cables were wound, missed at the time of refueling from the tanker. After the completion of the operation, the ship lay down on a course for the Mediterranean Sea in order to provide for staff needs. On the 27th of the same month, the ship entered the Egyptian port. The ship was on full alert due to the approach of the Arab-Israeli military forces. The operation wasunder the control of Captain Proskuryakov. In September of the same year, the cruiser became a participant in the parade dedicated to the thirtieth anniversary of the liberation of Novorossiysk. As part of this celebration, the locality receives the status of a hero city.

From the end of October to the second half of December, the cruiser "Zhdanov" is in the Novorossiysk docks. In May and June of the following year, he becomes the object of Gorshkov's interest, the commander-in-chief personally visits the ship. On the 27th, the ship will have a new sailing. For five months, the ship takes the headquarters, provides commanding personnel with all types of communications. Its functions are especially important in the light of the events taking place at that moment in Cyprus - the invasion of Turkish troops and the military coup. On the last day of August, the ship enters the Egyptian port of Alexandria, where it stays for six days. The headquarters is under the control of Akimov, the cruiser is commanded by Proskuryakov.

Combat missions and holidays

In the last month of 1974, the ship sails to Sevastopol, goes to the plant, where specialists examine its condition. The cruiser "Zhdanov" takes first place among all floating vehicles at the disposal of the 150th OB. Since the end of March 1975, the ship has been performing combat missions, and since April 10, it has been participating in the training program. The main complex maneuver of the exercises is firing from artillery of the largest caliber in the darkness of night through the formation of their ships. In May of the same year, the ship takes part in a visit to the Yugoslav Split, accompanied by ships"Fast", "Restrained". In July of the same year, the cruiser sails to Toulon, accompanied by the Red Crimea. On July 27, in honor of the Navy Day in Sevastopol, Zhdanov is appointed the host of the holiday, the Kuban representation of the party and government is received on the ship.

In August 1975, the cruiser hosted a pioneer camp. Children are given excursions on the ship. A little time passes, and from mid-May 1976, the ship again goes to combat service in the Mediterranean Sea. From July 13 to 17, he is in Tartus, the Syrian port, where he pays a business visit. From the 23rd, a meeting with the ship "Kyiv" was planned and implemented. In August, the ship was urgently transferred to the conflict area between the Krasnogvardeets submarine and the American ship USS FF-1047 Voge. The boat, guarded by the cruiser and the ship "Courageous", moves to Kitara, where it receives the necessary assistance.

Life, work and service

In 1977 "Zhdanov" receives representatives of the Ukrainian SSR, deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In the autumn of the same year, a medium repair begins, during which the transport receives the latest navigation systems. Since 1981, it has been included in the number of ships that must constantly be in a state of combat readiness. At the beginning of 1982, the cruiser was brought to serve in the Mediterranean. It was then that the ship is both a signalman and a drummer at the same time. In particular, the crew is forced to monitor the movements of the Nimitz aircraft carrier. In the summer of 1982, Zhdanov was given responsibility for providing air defense to Syria. In January 1983, a new commemorative sign dedicated to the thirtieth anniversary of the cruiser was issued in the homeland of the ship. In April of the same yearShakun, who had been the commander of the ship for eight years, leaves his post. His position is held by Ryzhenko.

In 1984, the ship again serves in the Mediterranean Sea, comes to Tripoli on a business visit, participates in military exercises. The last time the ship was in combat conditions was in May 1985. The service lasts until the penultimate September day of the same year. By the thirty-fifth anniversary of the ship in 1988, a commemorative sign was issued, and a year later the ship was deprived of its name. He makes his last journey on November 27, 1991. The vessel could not move under its own power, it was transported for scrapping by the Shakhtar tug.