Скачать или смотреть The Soviet Navy’s TERRIBLE Cruisers

By the late 1920s, the Soviet Navy faced an urgent problem — its fleet of Imperial-era cruisers was badly outdated. Even ships like Krasnyi Krym were relics, unsuited to the demands of modern naval warfare. Seeking to modernize, the Soviets turned to foreign expertise, eventually partnering with Italy’s famed Ansaldo shipyards to design and assist in building a new generation of warships. The result was Project 26 — the Kirov-class light cruisers.

Though officially classed as light cruisers, these ships pushed the limits of the designation. With heavy armament, sleek lines inspired by Italian Condottieri-class vessels, and machinery borrowed directly from the Eugenio di Savoia, the Kirovs were the largest Soviet-built warships of the interwar period. But while they looked impressive on paper, the class came with serious flaws — many inherited from their Italian design roots, others stemming from the realities of Soviet industry in the 1930s.

This video explores the Kirov-class from conception to completion. We’ll examine how the ambitious Soviet Five-Year Plans shaped naval policy, why foreign cooperation was essential, and how Italy — despite ideological differences — became the unlikely design partner. From the decision to adopt 180mm main guns to the problematic triple-gun turrets, we’ll break down the technical details that defined these ships.

The Kirovs suffered from numerous problems: excessive weight, reduced stability, cramped turrets that slowed the rate of fire to battleship-like speeds, unreliable Soviet-built machinery, and thin armor that left them vulnerable to anything heavier than destroyer-caliber shells. Their Italian-style fine hull lines, ideal for the calm Mediterranean, proved a liability in rough northern waters, where they rolled heavily and lost speed. Poor fire control systems and late arrival of radar further reduced their combat effectiveness.

Despite these shortcomings, the Kirovs saw active service during the Second World War, mostly in coastal bombardment roles in the Baltic and Black Seas. Molotov famously survived the loss of her stern, later receiving a replacement section from a Chapayev-class cruiser. The Pacific Fleet’s Kalinin and Kaganovich saw little wartime action but remained in service for years afterward.

By the late 1950s into the 1970s, the class was gradually retired and scrapped, leaving behind a mixed legacy. The Kirov-class cruisers stand as a fascinating case study in Soviet naval design — ambitious in concept, flawed in execution, and shaped by both foreign influence and domestic limitations.

Intro 0:00
Background 0:49
Ship Design 9:54
Terrible Qualities 15:53
Conclusion 19:20
Sources/Other Reading:

https://www.amazon.com/Italian-Battle...

https://www.amazon.com/Mussolinis-Nav...

https://www.usni.org/press/books/russ...

https://www.amazon.com/Warships-Sovie...

https://www.amazon.com/Warship-2015-J...

https://www.amazon.com/Stalins-Ocean-...

https://www.jstor.org/stable/i40207361

Video Information:
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