On October 30 (October 20, old style), 1696, the boyar duma, on the proposal of Tsar Peter I, adopted a resolution “There will be sea vessels...”, which became the first law on the fleet and official recognition of its foundation.

During Northern War In 1700-1721, the Baltic Fleet was created, which promoted Russia to the ranks of major maritime powers. The first warships for him were built in 1702-1703 at the mouth of the Syas River on Lake Ladoga and on the Svir River. In 1703, the base of the Russian fleet in the Baltic was founded - Kronshlot (later - Kronstadt).

During the Northern War, the main tasks of the fleet were determined, the list of which remains virtually unchanged to this day, namely: the fight against naval forces the enemy, fighting on sea lanes, defending one’s coast from the sea, assisting the army in coastal areas, striking and ensuring the invasion of enemy territory from the sea. Specific gravity These tasks changed as material resources and the nature of armed struggle at sea changed. Accordingly, the role and place of individual branches of the fleet that were part of the fleet changed.

Before the First World War, the main tasks were carried out by surface ships, and they were the main branch of the fleet. During the Second World War, this role for some time passed to naval aviation, and in the post-war period, with the advent of nuclear missile weapons and ships with nuclear power plants, submarines established themselves as the main type of force.

Before the First World War, the fleet was homogeneous. Coastal troops (marines and coastal artillery), which existed since the beginning of the 18th century, were not organizationally part of the fleet. In 1906, submarine forces were born and began to develop as a new branch of the Navy. In 1914, the first naval aviation units were formed, which in 1916 also acquired the characteristics of an independent type of force. The Navy as a heterogeneous strategic association was finally formed by the mid-1930s, when naval aviation, coastal defense and air defense units.

During the formation of the regular Russian fleet, its organizational structure and functions were unclear. In 1717, by decree of Peter I, an Admiralty Board was formed for the day-to-day management of the fleet. In 1802, the Ministry of Maritime Forces was formed, which was later renamed the Naval Ministry and existed until 1917. Organs for combat (operational) command and control of naval forces appeared after the Russo-Japanese War with the creation of the Naval General Staff in 1906. On January 15, 1938, by resolution of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and the Council People's Commissars(SNK) the People's Commissariat of the Navy was created, within which the Main Naval Headquarters was formed.

Permanent groupings of forces in maritime theaters took shape as the Russian state solved historical problems related to the acquisition of access to the World Ocean and the country's inclusion in the world economy and politics. In the Baltic, the fleet existed continuously since May 18 (May 7, old style) 1703, the Caspian flotilla - from November 15 (November 4, old style) 1722, and the fleet on the Black Sea - from May 13 (May 2, old style) 1783. In the North and Pacific Ocean groupings of naval forces were created on a temporary basis or, without significant development, were periodically abolished. The current Pacific and Northern fleets have existed as permanent groupings since April 21, 1932 and June 1, 1933, respectively.

The fleet received its greatest development by the mid-1980s. At this time, it included four fleets and the Caspian Flotilla, which included more than 100 divisions and brigades of surface ships, submarines, naval aviation and coastal defense.

Navy Russian Federation- successor to the Russian Navy and the USSR Navy, consists of naval strategic nuclear forces and general-purpose naval forces. It includes surface forces, submarine forces, naval aviation and coastal forces, which include coastal missile and artillery forces and marine infantry.

Organizationally, the Navy consists of four operational-strategic formations: Northern, Pacific, Baltic and Black Sea Fleet, and also Caspian flotilla.

The Navy is capable of delivering nuclear strikes on enemy ground targets, destroying enemy fleet groups at sea and bases, disrupting the enemy’s ocean and sea communications and protecting its maritime transportation, assisting the Ground Forces in operations in continental theaters of war, landing amphibious assault forces, and participating in repelling landing forces. enemy and perform other tasks.

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Vladimir Korolev, currently from 70 to 100 ships of the Russian Navy are constantly in various areas of the World Ocean, performing their functions.

Throughout its history, the fleet has played an important role in the fate of Russia. The legendary battles of the Russian fleet at Gangut (now the Hanko Peninsula in Finland), Tendra, Sinop, Chesma, critical operations during the First World War and the Great Patriotic War.

The history of celebrations in honor of the fleet dates back to the time of Peter I. The reason for the first real naval parade was the victory won by the Russian fleet on July 27 (August 7, new style) in 1714 in the Battle of Gangut during the Northern War. She became the first Russian history naval victory of the Russian fleet. The Gangut victory was solemnly celebrated in St. Petersburg. The celebration continued for several days. In his decree, Peter I ordered that the day of the Gangut victory be celebrated annually on July 27 with solemn services, naval parades and fireworks. This day has become a kind of holiday for the Navy. Later, the celebration of the victory was limited only to a solemn prayer service. IN mid-19th century, the tradition of the times of Peter I was revived: on July 27, parades of ships decorated with flags began to be held and gun salutes sounded.

In 1917, the holiday was canceled. Since 1920, at the suggestion of the Headquarters of the Naval Forces of the Baltic Sea, on the day closest to May 18, Red Fleet Day began to be celebrated in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg). On May 18 (May 7, old style) in 1703, the Russian regular fleet won its first victory in the Baltic. In the boarding battle, the Swedish boat "Gedan" and the shnyava (a small two-masted ship with straight sails) "Astrild" were captured. Subsequently, the date of this battle was accepted as the day of the emergence of the Baltic Fleet.

The Navy Day holiday in the USSR was first celebrated on July 24, 1939 on the basis of the resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks dated June 22, 1939, by which it was established. Navy Day was to be celebrated annually on July 24th. The date of the celebration of Navy Day was moved to the last Sunday of July by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated October 1, 1980 “On holidays and memorable days» and subsequent legislative acts.

Traditionally, the celebration of Navy Day begins with a ceremonial formation personnel naval units and the ritual of raising the St. Andrew's flag and coloring flags on ships. Naval parades and military sports festivals are held on this day at the bases of the Northern, Pacific, Baltic and Black Sea fleets, as well as the Caspian flotilla. Parades of warships on this day have been held annually since 1939, and were not held only during the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War (1941-1945).

In 2017, on behalf of the President, for the first time in modern history The main naval parade was held in St. Petersburg. In terms of the scale of the event, the number of ships and aircraft involved, this event could be compared with the Victory Parade on May 9 on Red Square in Moscow.

Andrey Eremenko
Candidate of Cultural Studies, Associate Professor,
Head of the Department of History, Ethnography and Nature, KGIAMZ

In the first half of the 19th century. The basis for progress in science, technology, and economics was the use of a new type of energy - steam energy. The further development of the fleet was due to advances in the field of metallurgy and rolled metal. Especially with the invention of armor plates for use in iron shipbuilding

IN early XIX V. The construction of steam ships began in Russia. The first such ship in Russia, the Elizaveta, was designed and built in 1815 by Karl Bird, owner of an iron and copper foundry in St. Petersburg. With only 4 liters. With. power, the machine gave the steamboat (as the steamship was previously called) a speed of about 9 versts per hour.

The first steam ship in Russia “Elizabeth”

In 1823, about a dozen steamships were built on the Volga, including those with two engines with a total power of up to 40 hp. With. And in 1843, the steamship company “Along the Volga” was formed in St. Petersburg, which had several steamships with engines of 250-400 liters. With. capacity (“Volga”, “Hercules”, “Samson”, “Kama”, “Oka”, etc.), dozens of heavy-duty barges. This society existed until 1918.

Diesel motor ships

In 1903, the Sormovsky plant in Nizhny Novgorod built the first diesel motor ship for the Volga Shipping Company - the self-propelled tank barge "Vandal" with a displacement of 1150 tons, - with three diesel engines of 120 liters each. s., and diesel-electric transmission to propellers. "Vandal" became the world's first diesel motor ship and diesel-electric ship at the same time.

The first motor ship in the world is the oil tanker barge Vandal.

By 1913 in different countries there were more than 80 diesel motor ships in the world, 70 of them in Russia. As for steamships, by 1913, through the efforts of all six shipping companies of the country and the government, their number was increased to 1016 (with a total displacement of 487 thousand tons), and sailing ships became 2577 (257 thousand gross tons). The Russian fleet ranked 8th in the world after the fleets of England, Germany, the USA, Norway, France, Japan, and Italy. At the same time, its own steamships, making up 65% of Russia’s commercial fleet, could provide only 8% of sea cargo transportation.

Creation of the Russian Society of Shipping and Trade (ROPiT)

In January 1856, adjutant N.A. contacted the Russian Naval Ministry. Arkas and the famous shipowner-entrepreneur N.A. Novoselsky. They proposed creating a commercial shipping joint-stock company on the Black Sea with a large number of modern ships for cargo and passenger transportation, while clarifying that in case of war these ships could be used for the military transport needs of the country.

On August 3, 1856, Emperor Alexander II approved the Charter of ROPiT (Russian Society of Shipping and Trade). Thus was born what later became the largest Russian shipping company.

By 1860, the Company had more than 40 steamships, and 30 of them had great prospects: all of them had been in operation for no more than 3 years.

The ROPiT steamship "Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna" stands at the pier in Saratov.
Around 1910 (Photo from the archive of Alexey Platonov)

Since 1863, the Company, replenishing the fleet, began to build new screw postal and passenger steamships and wheeled mixed cargo and passenger ships. In addition to “Lazarev”, “Kornilov”, “Nakhimov”, “Chikhachev”, “Grand Duke Mikhail”, “ Grand Duchess Olga" and "General Kotzebue" by 1870, another 11 steam schooners were put into operation for cargo transportation across the Sea of ​​Azov.

With the construction of the Suez Canal (1869), new prospects opened up, and ROPiT vessels began to sail to India, China, and Far East(Vladivostok).

Creation of the "Voluntary Fleet"

During the period 1873–1883 Public attention to the needs of the fleet increased sharply. In this regard, a Society arose in Moscow to promote Russian merchant shipbuilding (with patriotic donations). The idea of ​​creating the Voluntary Fleet society arose, caused by the results of the Russian-Turkish War of 1878.

Fundraising was held throughout the country for an organization that would have fast and capacious ships, allowing them to be quickly re-equipped and armed, making them auxiliary cruisers in case of war. About 4 million rubles were collected, and in 1878 the society was created.

First, Dobroflot purchased cargo and passenger ships from the Germans, which were immediately registered with the navy as auxiliary cruisers: Moscow, Petersburg, Rossiya. Henceforth, a tradition was established: all new ships were named after the centers of the provinces - “Nizhny Novgorod”, “Ryazan”, etc.

Since 1879, the charter of the Voluntary Fleet society provided for the possibility of using its ships for military purposes in the event of war.

The work of Dobroflot began with the transportation of Russian troops participating in the war from Varna and Burgas. Russian-Turkish war 1878 Then regular flights to the Far East began. Soon the management came to the conclusion that they should not purchase, but only build ships for society - this is more profitable. True, they should build not only at their factories, but also abroad. The first steamship, the Yaroslavl, based on the drawings of the English cruiser Iris, was ordered in 1880 in France.

Until 1896, a series of 6 ships with a displacement of 4500-5600 tons came from England to Russia. As a result, before Russian-Japanese war“Dobroflot” has already moved up to 2nd place after ROPiT. Its cargo turnover reached 196,000 tons per year.

Postcards from the early 1910s, dedicated to goods and passengers
Dobroflot steamships: Simbirsk and Ryazan.

HISTORY OF THE CREATION OF THE RUSSIAN FLEET BY PETER I

Peter I went down in history as a reformer, commander and naval commander, the first emperor of Russia. But his role in creating the fleet of the young empire is especially noticeable. Peter understood that without a fleet his country would not be able to enter the “club” of great powers. And he began to do his best to correct the situation. Thus, the Azov fleet appears first, historical significance which is simply impossible to underestimate, and 7 years later, in 1703, the Baltic Fleet was created - the strongest naval unit of modern Russia.

It cannot be said that before Peter there were no attempts to create a naval force. There were, but they were very disorganized, unsystematic and, as a result, unsuccessful. Ivan the Terrible, for example, actively used the river fleet in his campaigns against the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates. Later, during the war with the Swedes of 1656-1661, the Moscow kingdom became concerned with building a full-fledged fleet capable of operating in the Baltic waters. Voivode Ordin-Nashchekin especially distinguished himself in its creation. But under the terms of the peace signed in 1661, the Russians had to destroy all ships and shipyards. Having failed in the north, Ordin-Nashchekin turned the attention of Emperor Alexei Mikhailovich to the south of the kingdom.

There it was decided to build a flotilla for the Caspian Sea and even began this ambitious project - in 1667-1668. The three-masted sailing ship "Eagle" was built, the "great-grandfather" of the Russian sailing fleet (displacement 250 tons, length 24.5 meters, width 6.5 meters). It had two decks, the artillery armament consisted of 22 guns, about the tests of which a note has been preserved:

« the guns were shot, and according to the shot, the guns were all intact and fit for the ship».

Unfortunately, the fate of the ship was tragic - it served little, and was later completely burned by Razin’s rebels right in the harbor. The creation of a real fleet had to be postponed for several decades.

A significant event for the entire Russian fleet happened in 1688 in the village of Izmailovo near Moscow. 16-year-old Peter found a small boat (6 meters long, 1 meter wide) in an old barn. This little boat was brought from England as a gift to Tsar Alexei. Peter subsequently wrote about the amazing find:

« It happened to us (in May 1688) to be in Izmailovo, in the flax yard and, walking through the barns, where the remains of things from the house of Nikita Ivanovich Romanov’s grandfather lay, between which I saw a foreign ship, I asked Franz (Timerman) [Peter’s Dutch teacher], what kind of ship is this? He said that it was an English bot. I asked: where is it used? He said that with ships - for riding and carriage. I asked again: what advantage does it have over our ships (I have seen it in a manner and strength better than ours)? He told me that he sails not only with the wind, but also against the wind; which word brought me into great surprise and supposedly incredible».

Having repaired the boat, Peter immediately took a short walk along the Yauza River. Later, the “grandfather of the Russian fleet” (as Peter himself called the boat) was moved to different places (Prosyanoye Lake, Pleshcheev Pond, Pereyaslav Lake), as the prince’s skill in shipping grew. He built a shipyard right on Lake Pereyaslavl and in 1692, in addition to the boat, two small frigates and three yachts sailed on the lake. The construction of the Amusing Flotilla was carried out by craftsmen under the leadership of the Dutchman Karsten Brant, who was hired by Peter’s father Alexei Mikhailovich to build the Caspian Fleet. It is interesting that for a long trip to the lake, Peter had to lie to his mother Natalya Kirillovna: “Where I asked my mother to go to the Trinity Monastery under the image of a promise.”

In 1689, the internal crisis was resolved - Princess Sophia was removed from power and tonsured as a nun. Peter actually became the ruler the whole country. By this time, the idea of ​​organizing a fleet had completely taken possession of the king. He worked diligently, studied everything that could be useful for the king-military leader - geometry, navigation, carpentry, cannon casting and other sciences. And all this time he did not abandon his passion for the fleet. But the lake was clearly not enough for the young king and he decided to go to Arkhangelsk, to the White Sea.

In 1693, the road from Moscow to Arkhangelsk took as much as 24 days - from July 6 to July 30, Peter was on the road. Despite his mother’s promise not to leave the shore, the young king broke it without any qualms of conscience. According to various sources, either on the first day of his arrival, or towards the end of the visit, he went out to sea on the 12-gun yacht “St. Peter” to escort Dutch and English merchant ships. This journey took 6 whole days and made a huge impression on the king.

In the same 1693, he built the first state shipyard in Arkhangelsk - Solombala. And he immediately laid down the 24-gun ship “St. Apostle Paul” there. This was not enough for Peter and he bought the 44-gun frigate “Holy Prophecy” in Holland. The trip to Arkhangelsk was an important milestone in the development of the young ruler’s hobbies. The real sea, foreign ships and sailors, the construction of the shipyard - all this made a strong impression. But it was time to return - after being absent for almost three months, on October 1 the tsar returned to Moscow.

However, in January 1694, Peter's mother dies. Of course, this was a strong emotional shock for the king. But already at this age he showed his nature - without indulging in excessive sadness, on May 1 Peter left for Arkhangelsk for the second time, at the beginning of summer navigation. This time he was accompanied by soldiers of the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments, who, according to the sovereign’s plan, were to become sailors on his ships. Upon arrival, Peter personally supervised the armament of the St. Paul and inspected the frigate Holy Prophecy, which had arrived from Holland (both ships were later converted into merchant ships). In general, the tsar spent a lot of time “in the field” - he was constantly on ships, participated in repair and rigging work, and communicated with foreign sailors.

As part of a squadron of three ships (“St. Apostle Paul”, “St. Prophecy” and “St. Peter”), Peter escorted the merchant squadron to the exit from the White Sea. Unfortunately, this trip did not go too well. During a fairly short passage, the shortage of naval officers became obvious - all of Peter’s associates were good for the Amusement Flotilla, but had difficulty sailing on real ships. If “Admiral” Romodanovsky and “Vice Admiral” Buturlin somehow coped with their duties, then “Rear Admiral” Gordon only by luck did not land the yacht “Svya” on the rocks that Peter."

On the same yacht Peter decided to visit Solovetsky Monastery, but on the way the ship was caught in a strong storm. Nowadays, there is a maritime museum on Bolshoi Solovetsky Island. . According to some sources, the priests persuaded the king to take communion in order to die with a clear conscience. But Peter only brushed aside the offer and took the helm of the yacht himself. Everything worked out well - after spending some time in Solovki, he returned to Arkhangelsk.

Upon returning to Arkhangelsk, Peter began arming and equipping the ship “Apostle Paul”, and after the arrival of the ship “St. Prophecy" took him under command and sailed in the White Sea to St. Nos in a squadron under the flag of Romodanovsky. Peter returned from his second trip to the White Sea with an indomitable desire to begin building the Russian fleet. Russia at that time owned two sea coasts - White Sea and Caspian.

It was natural to strive for White, which connected the country with England, Holland and other countries. Not everyone in Moscow understood these aspirations. Peter understood that a great country and its economy required access to the sea. He could not then fight for the return of the Baltic coast to Russia; a powerful power dominated there. And he turned his gaze to the south, to the Azov and Black Seas.

Russia was looking for access to the sea. It was decided to start from the south... In February 1695, Tsar Peter I ordered to gather an army to recapture the city of Azov at the mouth of the Don from the Turks. Under the name of the bombardier Pyotr Mikhailov, the tsar set off along with the first Western-style regiments: Preobrazhensky, Semenovsky and Lefortov. After a long siege, they decided to take the Azov fortress by storm. Many Russian soldiers and officers died, but the city could not be taken. The Turks brought fresh troops and food by sea. The first Azov campaign of 1695 ended ingloriously...

Peter took the failure seriously, but did not think about retreat. It was difficult to take the seaside fortress without a navy. Thousands of “working people” began to flock to Voronezh from all over Russia. It was necessary to build shipyards, harvest and transport timber, twist ropes, sew sails and cast cannons.

They built shipyards, barns, and barracks. Two 36-gun ships, twenty-two galleys and four fire ships were laid down on the stocks. Everything was ready by spring. The second Azov campaign began. In May 1696, on the new 34-oar galley “Principium”, Peter appeared near Azov at the head of an entire flotilla, and the ground forces, replenished and rested, again besieged the fortress from land and built batteries at the mouth of the Don.

This time the Turks failed to fight back, although they defended desperately. The Russian fleet prevented the supply of ammunition and food to the besieged fortress. The Turks had to surrender. For the first time in the history of Russia, a brilliant victory was achieved with the help of the fleet. This happened on July 18, 1696. From that day on, free access to the Sea of ​​Azov opened.

It was necessary to establish ourselves in the entire Sea of ​​​​Azov, to move towards the Black Sea. And for this it was necessary to continue to create a fleet and build harbors, because, as Peter I said, “a harbor is the beginning and end of a fleet, without it, whether there is a fleet or not, it still does not exist.” On July 27, after the capture of Azov, Peter began to go around the coast in boats. As the legend says, on one of the capes, or, as they were called here, horns, fires were burning in the evening - then the shepherds were cooking food on the tagans. Here, on Taganrog, they decided to build a harbor (the future Taganrog) for Russia's first regular navy.

Later, in the preface to the Naval Regulations, Peter will write: “... the sovereigns of the navy who do not have only one hand have, but those who have a fleet have both!” Soon after the capture of Azov, on October 20, 1696, the Boyar Duma, at the suggestion of Peter, adopted a resolution: “There will be sea vessels!” This day is considered the birthday of the Russian Military Navy.

In 1697, Peter I volunteered at the Great Embassy to Holland to study shipbuilding and maritime affairs. He worked first in Saardam at a private shipyard, then in Amsterdam at the shipyard of the East India Company, where he participated in the construction of the ship from laying to completion and received a certificate of knowledge of naval architecture from the master Klass Paul. At the same time, the tsar greedily absorbed knowledge of various kinds, which in the future he used to carry out reforms in Russia.

In 1698, noticing that Dutch shipbuilders did not have enough theoretical knowledge and they are more guided by experience and practice, Peter went to England and studied the theory of shipbuilding in Deptford. The future admiral sailed in the English fleet to the Isle of Wight, attended naval maneuvers organized in his honor, and visited museums, arsenals and other places of interest to him. During the trip abroad, sailors and other specialists were hired into Russian service, including Vice Admiral Cornelius Kruys and Schoutbenacht (Rear Admiral) Rez, who set about putting the fleet administration in order.

European politics gave no reason to expect that Russia would receive support in the fight against Turkey for access to the southern seas. Nevertheless, the tsar continued the construction of the Azov fleet. Upon returning from a trip abroad, Pyotr Mikhailov, as the tsar called himself, accepted the title of shipmaster and began to receive a salary of 366 rubles a year. On November 19, 1698, he laid down a 58-gun ship in Voronezh. But still, the path to the wide, global sea spaces was difficult for Russian ships: the Kerch Strait was controlled by Turkey, as well as the Bosporus and Dardanelles - the straits connecting the Black and Mediterranean seas.

The main focus of the interests of the Russian sovereign changed, Peter I turned his attention to the Baltic. But there was already a strong fleet of the young and desperate Swedish king Charles XII who had just ascended the throne. Relying on the support of two other recognized maritime powers - England and Holland, he threatened not only his Baltic neighbors - Denmark and Poland, but also intended to capture Russian cities: Pskov, Novgorod and Arkhangelsk.

“The king dreams of only one war,” the French envoy wrote about Charles XII, “he was told too much about the exploits and campaigns of his ancestors. His heart and head are filled with this, and he considers himself invincible...” Such confidence was given to Charles by the possession not only of a fleet of 50 ships, but also of an army of 150,000, recruited from Swedish peasants who, in peacetime, lived on land received from the state . This army was superior in its fighting qualities to many Western European mercenary armies.

An anti-Swedish military Northern Alliance was created against Sweden in 1699. Each state of the anti-Swedish coalition had its own interests: the Danish king Frederick IV wanted to return the areas lost by his country in 1660 and 1689, in particular Schleswig (the area on the border of Denmark and Germany); Saxon Elector Augusta II, who was also the king of Poland, was attracted by the lands of Livonia and Estonia (the Baltic); Peter I sought not only to reach the sea, but also to return to Russia its ancestral territories with the cities of Korela, Koporye, Oreshek, Yam and Ivangorod, which went to Sweden by Treaty of Stolbov 1617

In May 1703, by order of Peter I, a fortress with six bastions was founded on the banks of the Neva, on the island of Yanni-Saari. They gave her the name Petropavlovskaya. Thousands of men, brought from all over Russia, standing waist-deep in water, with oak “women”, drove piles into the muddy bank. All the well thieves, by order of Peter, were also brought here to work. Hundreds of people lay down in the wet ground at the end of the world - they could not stand the work, and there was not enough bread. “They are very sick here, and many have died,” Peter wrote to Moscow, demanding that more people be sent. This is how the construction of St. Petersburg, the new capital of Russia, began.

The capital had to be protected from the Swedes... Not far from the mouth of the Neva, in the Gulf of Finland, lay an island Kotlin, overgrown with dense pine forest. Only close to it was it possible to go to the mouth of the Neva - in other places sandbanks were in the way. Soon construction of a new Russian fort began on the shallows south of Kotlin Island Kronshlot, part of the future naval fortress of Kronstadt. The instructions to the commandant of the fortress said: “Maintain this citadel with God’s help as long as it happens until the last man.”

A year later, the Swedes began to attack the new fortress, and on the coast too. Although all attacks were repulsed, it was still impossible to reliably defend St. Petersburg without ships. The axes clattered again and saws squealed. Shipyards arose on the banks of the Syas and Svir rivers, and then the Neva. The young Baltic Fleet grew rapidly. The first ship of the Baltic Fleet was built in 1703 - the 30-gun frigate "Standart".

In May 1703, commanding a detachment of boats with a landing party of the guard, Peter boarded the Swedish ships “Gedan” and “Astrild” standing at the mouth of the Neva, for which he was awarded the order St. Andrew the First-Called. Finding themselves without support, the garrison of the Nyenschanz fortress capitulated after the shelling. The entire course of the Neva was at Peter's disposal. In September, with the rank of captain, he brought the ship “Standart” from the Olonets shipyard to St. Petersburg.

By the end of 1705, it consisted of more than two dozen ships, frigates and galleys. Three hundred guns stood on their decks, still smelling of fresh forest, and two thousand two hundred crew members, sailors and gunners, were awaiting orders to set off. Tsar Peter appointed Vice Admiral Cornelius Cruys as commander of the fleet.

The struggle went on for a long time and not always with success! For more than twenty years, from 1700 to 1721, the Northern War raged between Sweden and the countries of the Northern Alliance. Taking advantage of the fact that Frederick IV set out with his main forces to recapture Schleswig, Charles XII with the support of the Anglo-Dutch fleet, landed troops on the Danish island of Zealand and besieged Copenhagen. Threatening to burn the capital of Denmark, Charles XII forced Frederick IV to capitulate and withdraw from the Northern Alliance. This happened on August 7, 1700.

This war is divided by modern historians into two periods: the first - from the autumn of 1700 (the beginning of the siege of Narva) to the summer of 1709 (the Battle of Poltava); the second from mid-1709 to 1721 (conclusion of the Peace of Nystadt).

With the beginning of the Northern War, the Baltic Fleet also became necessary. In 1702-1704. the construction of ships began in several places at once: on the rivers Syas, Svir, Luga, Volkhov, Izhora. In addition to the seven frigates, 91 ships were built. At the end of 1704, the fortress created by Peter on Kotlin Island already had more than 70 guns. By 1710, the Baltic fleet already included 12 battleships. A strong fleet accelerated the capture of Vyborg, Riga, and Revel by Russian troops.

In 1706, Peter I was promoted to captain-commander. On November 30, 1707, he laid down in St. Petersburg the 16-gun Liset, which he launched in 1708. From October 29, 1708, by decree of Admiral Count Apraksin, Pyotr Alekseevich began to receive salaries of a commander of 600 rubles, a ship master of 1200 rubles From February 14 to May 27, 1709, he was at shipbuilding in Voronezh, surveyed the Azov ports, sailed on a brigantine in the Sea of ​​Azov, and on April 7 launched in Voronezh 2 ships he built: the 50-gun Lastka and the 80-gun Old Eagle "

Although many different ships and galleys were built for Russian sailors, until Swedish Navy it was still far away. However, little by little, Russian troops, with the help of the fleet, recaptured Narva, Vyborg, Riga and Revel from the Swedes, and finally, in July 1713, Helsingfors. The Swedes did not have a single stronghold left in the Gulf of Finland. In July 1714, the Russian fleet defeated the Swedes in the Gangut naval battle, defeating and capturing a detachment of Swedish ships.

The next stage of sharp intensification in the construction of new ships occurs in 1711-1713. Russian shipyards were already building powerful 52- and even 60-gun ships. In 1714, the Russian fleet won a major naval victory over the Swedes off the Gangut Peninsula (Hanko) on July 27. The victory allowed the Russian fleet to control the Åland skerries and the coast. In an effort to transfer the war to enemy territory, Russian Tsar increased the number of powerful battleships and skerry fleet. The final approval in the Baltic Sea can be timed to coincide with the victory at Grenham on July 27, 1720. By the end of the war, Russia had 29 battleships, 6 frigates, 208 galleys and other vessels in the Baltic.

In 1705, recruitment began specifically for the fleet. Subsequently, until 1715, there were 5 sets, approximately 1-1.5 thousand people each. However, the complete recruitment of the fleet became a reality only starting in 1718. The first nautical school was organized back in 1698 in Azov. In 1701, a school of “mathematical and navigational” sciences was opened in Moscow, training personnel for both the army and the navy. At first it was designed for 200, and from 1701 - already for 500 people. In 1715, the St. Petersburg Naval Academy for Officer Personnel began to operate. In 1716, the so-called midshipman company was organized.

In 1718, the royal vice admiral commanded the vanguard of the fleet of Apraksin F.M. sailing in the Gulf of Finland. On July 15, the completed 90-gun ship Lesnoye was launched in St. Petersburg. In 1719, the Tsar commanded the Baltic Fleet; the fleet sailed to Aland, where it remained for almost two months. In this and the previous years, Peter worked diligently on drawing up maritime regulations, sometimes working 14 hours a day.

Swedish senators tried to persuade their king Charles XII to make peace with Russia. However, Karl did not want to listen to anything. “At least all of Sweden would disappear,” he said, “and there would be no peace!” We had to again announce a new mobilization throughout Sweden...

The young Baltic Fleet won many more victories over the Swedes, and in 1721 the Swedes were forced to sign the Treaty of Nystadt. According to this agreement, the following were transferred to Russia: Ingermanland, on whose lands St. Petersburg arose, Estland with the city of Revel, Livonia with Riga and part of Karelia with Vyborg and Kexholm.

In honor of the Peace of Nystadt, Peter ordered large celebrations to be held, first in the fall in St. Petersburg, and then in the winter of 1722 in Moscow. An unusual procession passed through the streets of Moscow: many large models of ships, placed on sled runners, moved towards the Kremlin.

Peter I himself, who led this procession, sat on the flagship model. And in the Kremlin he was met by an old friend. On a pedestal decorated with paintings and inscriptions stood the “Grandfather of the Russian Navy” - an old English ship, on which the young Russian Tsar sailed along the Yauza, and all the “ships” saluted the “grandfather”...

By the end of the reign of Peter I, the Russian navy was one of the most powerful in Europe. It consisted of 34 battleships, 9 frigates, 17 galleys and 26 ships of other types (Korobkov N.M. “Russian fleet in Seven Years' War", M., 1946). There were up to 30 thousand people in its ranks. St. Petersburg, Kronstadt, Revel, Arkhangelsk - these are the main ports and bases of his stay.

It is clear that without the work of many, many specialists, it would be impossible to create a fleet capable of defeating the age-old sailors of the Swedes. But it is equally obvious that it would be impossible to accomplish this great undertaking in such a short period of time in history without enthusiasm young Peter The Great One, who fell in love with maritime affairs, fully realized its importance for the state and forced those close to him to also become its enthusiasts.
Tsar Peter became a rare example of a man who had full power, but acted not so much through coercion as through personal example, especially in the field of maritime affairs. The fleet he created is a worthy monument to the reformer.

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History of creation:

Peter I the Great - outstanding statesman and commander. He created the regular army and the Russian Navy, laid the foundation of the Russian military school. In 1688, Peter I made his first voyage on a boat along the Yauza and Prosyany Pond near Moscow, which led to his serious interest in maritime affairs. In 1689, with the direct participation of the tsar, a shipyard was founded on Lake Pereslavl (Pleshcheyevo), where a “funny” flotilla was created. In 1693 - 1694 Peter I, under the name of Peter Alekseev, sailed the White Sea on the yacht “St. Peter” and on the ship “Holy Prophecy”. In 1696, on the Principium galley, he commanded the vanguard of the rowing flotilla during the siege and capture of the Turkish fortress of Azov. October 30, 1696 At the insistence of Peter I, the Boyar Duma decided: “There will be sea vessels.” This was a decision of enormous historical importance. As a result of its implementation, Russia - the largest continental state - was also supposed to become a maritime power. In fact, the construction of the fleet by Peter I in Voronezh began at the end of 1695, after returning from an unsuccessful campaign against Azov.

Even before Peter I, there were repeated bloody wars for access to the sea.

The result was a vicious circle: without owning the sea coast, it was impossible to create a fleet, and without it, it was impossible to stand firmly on the shores of the Baltic. Peter found a simple way out: he simultaneously made his way to the sea and built ships. Back in early 1702, by his order, Ivan Tatishchev on the river. Syas laid down the first Russian sea vessels for the Baltic. Thus this vicious circle was broken. And even earlier, in the spring of 1699, Peter I, for the first time in the history of Russia, conducted naval maneuvers near Taganrog, and in August of the same year, on the newly built 46-gun ship “Fortress,” Duma clerk E. Ukraintsev went to Istanbul to negotiate with the Porte. He was accompanied by a squadron of the Azov Fleet. This show of force greatly contributed to the successful conclusion of the negotiations for Russia. By 1700, the Azov fleet received 40 sailing ships and more than 100 rowing ships. This was the beginning of Russian sea power.

The shores of Russia are washed by thirteen seas. To date Russian Navy consists of four fleets:

Northern Fleet (SF);

Pacific Fleet (PF);

Baltic Fleet (BF);

Black Sea Fleet (BSF).

Purpose:

Currently, the Government of the Russian Federation has assigned the following tasks to the Navy:

• - deterrence from use military force or threats of its use against Russia;
• -protection by military methods of the country’s sovereignty, extending beyond its land territory to internal sea waters and the territorial sea, sovereign rights in the exclusive economic zone and on the continental shelf, as well as freedom of the high seas;
• -creation and maintenance of conditions to ensure the safety of maritime economic activities in the World Ocean;
• - ensuring Russia’s naval presence in the World Ocean, demonstration of the flag and military force, visits of ships and naval vessels;
• - ensuring participation in military, peacekeeping and humanitarian actions carried out by the world community that meet the interests of the state.

The Russian Navy includes the following forces:

• -Surface forces
• -Submarine forces
• -Naval Aviation:
• -Coastal
• -Deck
• -Strategic
• -Tactical
• -Coastal Fleet Forces:
• -Coastal missile and artillery troops
• -Marine Corps
• -Coastal Defense Troops

The Navy also includes ships and vessels, units special purpose, units and units of the rear.

In addition, there is the Hydrographic Service of the Navy, which is structurally affiliated with the Directorate of Navigation and Oceanography of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Surface forces are used to: - protect sea communications; - transportation and cover of landings; - laying minefields and combating mine danger; - ensuring the exit and deployment of submarine forces, their return to bases.

Submarine forces are used to launch surprise attacks on maritime and continental targets and for reconnaissance purposes. The basis of the submarine forces of the Russian Navy are nuclear submarines. armed with ballistic and cruise missiles.

Naval aviation is intended for: - confrontation with groups of surface ships in the ocean; - delivering bombs and missile strikes against enemy coastal targets; - repelling attacks by enemy aircraft and anti-ship missiles; - target designation of missile weapons of ships during the destruction of submarines.

Tasks of the coastal forces of the fleet: - defense of the coast (naval bases, ports, bases and coastal facilities); - conducting combat operations as part of sea, air and airborne assault forces.

When Peter I decided to start a war against Sweden, he understood perfectly well that he would have to deal with a very strong enemy, so his main task was to create a modern regular army and a strong, well-armed navy. Particular attention was paid to the construction of the Baltic Fleet, which began in 1702. Peter I tried to coordinate the actions of the armed forces of the allies of Poland and Denmark. Denmark was tasked with capturing Holstein and then moving its operations to southern Sweden. With the help of the navy, Denmark was supposed to lead fighting to disrupt Swedish communications in the Baltic Sea. Poland was ordered to take possession of Riga. The Russian army had to conduct offensive operations in Ingria and Estland in order to occupy the Swedish fortress of Narva (ancient Russian fortress of Kolyvan) in order to reach the coast of the Gulf of Finland, not yet having a navy. The Swedes hoped to defeat their opponents one by one in short terms.

The idea of ​​​​creating a navy of our country - necessary condition for Russia to emerge from foreign political isolation and economic backwardness and to win access to the Baltic Sea with Sweden and its allies. When starting to create a fleet, Peter I used the experience of domestic shipbuilding and all the best from foreign shipbuilding.

On October 20 (November 2 according to the present day) the Boyar Duma met in Moscow to make a decision on an issue of great national importance: to be or not to be a fleet. The Duma decided: “There will be sea vessels.” From this date, the official chronology of the regular navy of our country begins. After the first unsuccessful Azov campaign, shipyards in Voronezh were founded in a short time. The first ships were built here: “Apostle Peter” and “Apostle Paul”; each of them was armed with 36 cannons. Hundreds of plows and sea ​​boats for the second Azov campaign. In 1698, the 58-gun ship Goto Predestancia, designed by Peter I, was launched from the stocks of this shipyard.

In order to study best practices in shipbuilding, at the beginning of 1697 the Russian government decided to Western Europe Great Naval Embassy. When choosing the route, the desire of the Russian Tsar himself to visit Holland and England and study the experience of these countries in the field of shipbuilding and navigation was taken into account. In Holland, in the city of Saardam, where there were 50 shipyards, the Russian Tsar became an ordinary carpenter at a private shipyard. While studying shipbuilding in Holland, Peter I realized the imperfection of the Dutch shipbuilding system, which did not have a unified engineering theory. The leading country on this important issue at that time was England. In England, the Russian Tsar mastered the theory of ship construction, the technology of building ships and mastered the graphic representation of a ship's hull (drawing), which he then successfully used in the construction of the domestic regular fleet, the construction of ships, the construction of naval bases for the fleet and the training of personnel.

Peter I's talent as a shipbuilder was most fully demonstrated during the creation of the Baltic Fleet. Deep knowledge of shipbuilding and extensive practical experience allowed him to design and build excellent battleships: 54 – gun ship “Poltava”, 64 – gun ship “Ingermanland”. This ship was distinguished by its great artillery power, high strength, strict hull proportions, and excellent seaworthiness. Then Peter I designed a 90-gun battleship, and in 1723 a 100-gun battleship, which at that time had no equal in Western Europe.

By decree of Peter I, the great embassy hired 672 naval specialists to work in Russia. Including the captain (the future Russian vice-admiral K. Kruys). Based on Dutch and English terms Peter I created maritime and shipbuilding technology, some of them (keel, sternpost, frame, galley, etc.) are still used in our fleet.

The merit of Peter I should be considered the creation of the Baltic Navy, without which it would have been impossible to defeat such a strong and powerful enemy as Sweden. When creating this fleet, it was necessary to resolve the issue of what the Baltic Fleet should be like in order to provide effective assistance ground forces. In the European maritime space, sailing ships (battleships and frigates) played the most important role because they had the most powerful artillery. To combat such ships, Russia needed to have a sufficient number of the same ships. During the reign of Peter I, 105 battleships, 13 bomber ships, 9 fire ships, 16 yachts, 109 brigantines, 305 galleys and 220 other small ships were built. In 1704, the Admiralty Shipyard was founded in St. Petersburg for the construction of ships, employing 10 thousand workers. The construction of the ships was supervised by the talented engineer Fyodor Sklyaev.

Peter I had broad strategic thinking; he shrewdly foresaw a harmonious combination of various classes and types of ships in the fleet, taking into account the military-geographical features of the naval theater and the goals of the armed struggle. Thus, during the Northern War, a large rowing fleet was created, without which it was impossible to conduct joint operations of ground and naval forces in the skerries. The basis of the Russian rowing fleet were scampaways - multi-purpose sailing and rowing vessels. These were indispensable ships in joint operations of the army and navy in coastal areas: for patrol duty, reconnaissance, transportation of troops and military equipment, landing and artillery support, for bombing fortresses and coastal fortifications. The rowing fleet was an independent organization of naval forces in the Baltic Sea.

In addition to rowing ships, the rowing fleet included the marine corps. It was an airborne corps numbering about 16 thousand. First Regiment Marine Corps was formed by decree of Peter I on November 16, 1705. He laid the foundation for a new branch of naval forces. Without a rowing fleet, Russia was unlikely to be able to regain vast territories of the Baltic coast.

Ships cannot successfully accomplish their tasks without a reliable basing system in the theater of naval operations, so Peter I paid a lot of attention to the construction and strengthening of naval bases. As soon as Russian troops gained a foothold on the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov, immediately in 1698, by decree of Peter I, the sea fortress of Taganrog was founded, which became the first base of the regular navy in this theater of military operations. The first base of the navy on the Baltic Sea was St. Petersburg, for the protection of which from the sea in 1704 Fort Kronshlot was built on the island of Kotlin, the foundation of which became the beginning of the construction of the sea fortress of Kronstadt. Since 1724, Kronstadt became the main base of the Baltic Fleet and a reliable shield covering St. Petersburg from the sea.

During the Northern War, the fleet basing system on the Baltic Sea expanded: since 1710, the forward base of the Russian sailing fleet was Revel (Tallinn), and the rowing fleet was Vyborg. Then the following naval bases were founded: Helsingfors (Helsinki), Abo (Turku), Lambland (Alan Islands), Rogervik (Paldiski). Thus, during the Northern War, Peter I created an extensive system of basing sailing and rowing fleets on the Baltic Sea coast to a total depth of 300 miles. This allowed the navy to reliably ensure the defense of the new northern capital from enemy attack from the sea and to conduct active offensive operations against Sweden.

When creating the Russian Navy, Peter I introduced a system of recruiting and training fleet personnel. They created crews of ships that were homogeneous in composition and had high moral qualities and cohesion. The training of privates and officers took place according to the newly created domestic system. For this purpose, their own naval forces were formed. educational institutions. By decree of Peter I of November 4, 1701, the School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences was opened in Moscow, and in 1715, the Academy of Naval Guards was opened in St. Petersburg. From that time on, the Academy became a center for training officers for the navy. Then navigation schools were opened in Novgorod, Narva and Tallinn. Those Russian specialists who studied abroad, upon returning to their homeland, had to take exams in curriculum Navigation School and Academy. During the training of enlisted personnel, much attention was paid to the sail control system, ship maneuvering and shooting practice. Considerable time was spent training the rowers, who, after such training, developed a scampaway speed of up to 8 knots. Only those who successfully passed the exams were enrolled on ships. A systematic program to create domestic personnel for the navy led to the fact that by 1720 the main core of the officer corps consisted of Russians.

The construction of the fleet occurred simultaneously with the development of its governing bodies. In the first years of the war, the supply of the fleet and the construction of ships was carried out by the Korabelny, and then by the Admiralty Affairs orders. The leadership of the fleet was in charge of the Order of the Navy, which was established in 1668. This order was headed by F.A. Golovin. Since 1708, all affairs of the Admiralty Department were managed by the Admiralty Order. By decree of Peter I of December 23, 1717, the Admiralty was created - a board that became supreme body maritime management. The first president of this board was Peter I’s closest associate in naval affairs, Admiral F. M. Apraksin, and the vice president was Vice Admiral K. I. Kruys. The most important issues decided by the Admiralty Council - a board with the participation of Peter I.

The creation of the Russian regular navy ended with the creation of the Naval Charter, published in 1720, which was called “The Book of the Naval Charter about everything that concerns good governance when the fleet is at sea.” This document regulated the rights and responsibilities of the captain and other heads of the ship's people, the organization and actions of the crew at anchor, in battle and on the move. The development of the provisions of the Naval Charter took place since 1715 under the leadership and participation of Peter I. The main text of the Naval Charter began with an oath of allegiance to the autocracy and Russia. The maritime charter has become the most important legislative document Russian state. In terms of completeness of content and depth of presentation, the Naval Charter was the most perfect charter of the sailing fleet of the first half of the XVIII century.

Developing an offensive plan, Peter I coordinated the actions of Russia's allies, which were Poland and Denmark. Poland was supposed to capture Riga, and Denmark - Holstein (Northern German duchy between the modern Eider, Elbe, Prav, German and Baltic seas) and proceed to hostilities in southern Sweden. The Russian army had to conduct an offensive in Ingria and Estland in order to occupy Narva and Kolyvan (the ancient Russian name for Tallinn).

In the summer of 1700, the Swedish king Charles XII forced Denmark to sign a peace treaty with Sweden and the Polish army to retreat from Riga. This happened as follows: 15 thousand Swedish troops landed near Copenhagen and began to threaten the capital of Denmark. After Denmark was withdrawn from the war, Charles XII landed his troops in Pernow ( modern city Pärnu) and launched an offensive towards Riga. After this, the Polish king Augustus II withdrew his troops from Riga and put the Russian army, which was besieging Narva, under attack.

On November 19, 1700, a battle took place between the Russian and Swedish armies near Narva. It ended in the defeat of the Russian troops. 25 Russian infantry regiments and cavalry arrived near Narva, a total of 34 thousand people with 181 guns. The front line of Russian troops was stretched for 7 kilometers. The number of Swedish troops was 23 thousand people with 38 guns. The enemy took advantage of the bad weather, came close to the positions of the Russian troops and attacked the central positions. More than 40 generals and officers who served in the Russian army went over to the enemy. The cavalry under the command of B.P. Sheremetyev began to retreat from the left flank. The Swedes pursued the retreating Russian troops. The Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments fought bravely on the right flank and repulsed the attacks of the advancing Swedes several times. But the Russian generals standing on the right flank did not know what was happening on other sectors of the front and about the difficult situation of the Swedish troops, so they decided to surrender. Many generals of the Russian army were captured. The Swedes captured all Russian artillery, their losses amounted to 3 thousand people. Total losses Russians amounted to 7 thousand people (Northern War, p. 21).

Charles XII claimed that the Russian army did not exist after this defeat, but this was not the case. Most of the Russian troops emerged from the encirclement and were able to cross to the right bank of the Narva River. About 25 thousand Russian soldiers retreated to Novgorod. Peter I took the Narva “embarrassment” hard, but did not lose heart. Charles XII considered the Northern War over, and Peter I was just beginning it. The defeat at Narva in 1700 taught the Russians how to defeat a strong and treacherous enemy. The Russian fleet did not participate in this battle, which was one of the main reasons for the defeat.

Battle of Arkhangelsk.

First naval battle during the Northern War occurred near Arkhangelsk. The enemy's goal was to capture the Russian northern port and destroy it. With the fall of this city Russian state would forever remain land-based (with the exception of the Taganrog fortress on the Sea of ​​Azov), access to the sea would be closed to the Russian state.

On June 7, 1701, a Swedish squadron led by Commander Leve, consisting of 7 ships with 126 guns, was sent from the Swedish city of Gothenburg to the White Sea. The goal of this expedition was to capture and destroy Arkhangelsk. On June 25, 1701, the Swedish squadron approached the White Sea and split up: two ships (a frigate and a yacht) headed to the village of Kustovo, and the rest headed to the Berezovoy mouth at the confluence of the Malaya Dvina River into the White Sea. This part of the squadron was supposed to shell and capture Arkhangelsk, burn ships, shipyards, the city and food supplies.

At the narrowest point of the Malaya Dvina River on an island, 15 kilometers from Arkhangelsk, Russian units created a new fortress, Novodvinsk. The garrison of the fortress consisted of working people, their number was about 400 people. The task of the Russian garrison was to protect the fortress and Arkhangelsk.

English and Dutch merchants trading in Arkhangelsk reported a large squadron of the Swedish fleet that was moving towards the White Sea. The enemy spent the night not far from the mouth of the Dvina. The Swedes hung the flags of England and Holland on the masts of their ships, and the enemy soldiers dressed in merchant caftans. The head of the customs guard, Captain N. T. Krykov, went to the enemy ships along with 16 soldiers and 2 interpreters for inspection, but they were all captured.

On one of the ships there were two Russian prisoners, Ivan Ryabov, assigned to the St. Nicholas Karelian Monastery, and translator Dmitry Borisov. By order of the Swedish commander, Russian prisoners were to lead enemy troops along the fairway. But D. Borisov and I. Ryabov led the Swedish ships into the fire of the Novodvinsk fortress and ran two of them aground. The enemy found himself under Russian artillery fire. The battle with the enemy lasted 13 hours, two enemy ships were pierced by cannonballs and began to sink, both enemy crews abandoned their ships and sailed out to sea. Russian flags were raised on the captured ships. 15 cannons, hundreds of cannonballs and hand grenades were captured. The Swedes shot the translator D. Borisov, I. Ryabov managed to escape.