Bogatyr class cruiser

The "Bogatyr"-class were a group of protected cruisers built for the Imperial Russian Navy. Unusually for the Russian navy, two ships of the class were built for the Baltic Fleet and two ships for the Black Sea Fleet.

Ships

* "Bogatyr" - built by Vulkan yard, Stettin, Germany. Laid down 1898, launched January 1901, completed 1902, scrapped 1922. Her machinery was used to repair the "Komintern".

* "Oleg" - built by New Admiralty Yard, St Petersburg. Laid down 1901, launched August 1903, completed 1904, fought at the Battle of Tsushima, escaped, and was interned at Manila. Finally sunk by British Coastal Motor Boat 4 with a single torpedo in Kronstadt harbour on 17 June 1919. The wreck was salvaged and scrapped.

* "Kagul" (renamed "Ochakov", later "General Kornilov") - built by Sevastopol dockyard. Laid down 1900, launched October 1902, completed 1905, seized by the White forces in the Russian Civil War and interned in Bizerta in 1920, sold for scrap in 1933.

* "Pamiat Merkuria" (later "Komintern") - built by Nikolayev dockyard. Laid down 1900, launched June 1903, completed 1907. Mutinied during the revolution of 1905 which delayed completion. Survived the Russian Civil War and served in the Soviet Navy, Black Sea Fleet as the "Komintern". Damaged by German bombers in World War II she was sunk as a breakwater in Poti, Georgia on 10 October 1942, after her guns had been removed for use in shore batteries.

* A fifth ship, "Vityaz", being built in St. Petersburg was so badly damaged by a fire after laying down that she was cancelled.

References

* [http://flot.sevastopol.info/ship/cruiser/komintern.htm Cruiser "Komintern" from Black Sea fleet] ru icon
* [http://web.ukonline.co.uk/aj.cashmore/russia/cruisers/bogatyr/bogatyr.html Bogatyr class]
* Whitley M.J - "Cruisers of World War Two, an International Encyclopedia", 1995 Arms & Armour Press ISBN 1-86019-874-0