Soviet cruiser Kirov

"Kirov" was a Soviet Red Banner light cruiser of the "Kirov" class, named after Sergei Kirov.

ervice

"Kirov" served 1937–1974 in the Baltic Sea, and was one of the few large Soviet ships to survive World War II. Her role was mainly in support of army units.

She was part of the Light Battle Group together with the cruiser "Maxim Gorky" and nine destroyers. On December 1, 1939, "Kirov" attacked the Finnish batteries at Russarö and Hanko at the start of the Russo-Finnish War.

Great Patriotic War

Based near Riga at the time of the German attack on the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa) in June 1941, she was trapped in the Gulf of Riga by the rapid German advance. Employing radical weight reductions, she passed through the shallow Moon Sound (between Muhu island and the Estonian mainland) with great difficulty, and managed to reach Tallinn. In August, the "Kirov" supported the defence of Tallinn with her guns and she was the flagship of the evacuation convoys from Tallinn to Leningrad. She was undamaged, but fifty other Soviet ships in the convoys were lost.

At the end of August, 1941 the "Kirov" was assigned to support army units defending Kronstadt, remaining there for as long as the Germans were in range. In April, 1942, she received several bomb hits requiring repairs that kept the vessel out of service until early 1943. In January 1944 she supported the Red Army's offensive against the Germans besieging Leningrad.

During June 1944, the "Kirov" provided fire support for the Soviet Army's attack on Vyborg.

After hostilities had moved out of the Leningrad area, the "Kirov" remained there, and took no further active part in the war.

Post-war

During the 1960s, "Kirov" served as a training ship, regularly visiting Poland and East Germany.

She was scrapped in 1974. When "Kirov" was decommissioned, two gun turrets were installed at Leningrad as a monument.

References

cite book
last = Whitley
first = M J
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia
publisher = Arms and Armour Press
date = 1995
location = London
pages = 209-211
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 1-85409-225-1