When is Navy Day? When is Navy Day celebrated in Russia? There will be a Navy holiday

Russia has always been and to this day remains a great maritime power. The Russian fleet has always been the love and pride of the country!

Navy Day was established on June 22, 1939 by a resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, and since then has been celebrated on the last Sunday of July, already on the basis of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of October 1, 1980 “On holidays and memorial days” and subsequent legislative acts .

About the holiday Navy Day

In 2019, Navy Day falls on July 28. This is one of the most beloved holidays in the USSR and then in Russia. Russian Navy Day has the unofficial name of Neptune Day.

Navy Day is a tribute of honor and glory to military sailors of all generations, their mothers and wives, their loved ones who endured the pain of separation and the anguish of expectations. Navy Day is Russia's memory of its past naval glory. And most importantly, on this Day the Russian Navy, absorbing the people's love, becomes stronger.

Navy Day is a holiday that has a long history: 290 years - in August 1714, the Russian fleet under the command of Peter I won its first victory. Then the tradition arose on the occasion of victories at sea to line up ships and fire all cannons. In the Soviet Union, the “Red Fleet Week” was held since 1923. These days there were crowded rallies and meetings, labor cleanups, and fundraisers for the needs of the fleet.

During Soviet times, the Birthday of the Russian Navy was called differently - the Birthday of the USSR Navy. It should be noted that this holiday began to be celebrated in 1939 on the initiative of the outstanding Soviet naval commander, Hero of the Soviet Union, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov.

Military sailors in the Soviet Union enjoyed special honor and respect. And they themselves enthusiastically celebrated their professional holiday - Navy Day. Submariners, marine paratroopers and other warriors whose battlefield is the sea will confirm that their work requires special training, a special state of mind, a special calling. It is no coincidence that for many decades, military service in the navy took as much as three years, while in other branches of the military it was a whole year shorter. The importance of the Navy today has not only not been lost, but has increased even more.

Currently, Navy Day is celebrated with military parades and military sports competitions.

From the history of the fleet

Navy Day is a great opportunity to take a look at a page of history.

The creation of a regular military fleet in Russia was due to the country's urgent need to overcome territorial, political and cultural isolation, which at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries became the main obstacle to the economic and social development of the Russian state.

The first Russian warship was created under Alexei Mikhailovich. It was built according to the design of the Dutch shipbuilder Colonel Cornelius Vanbukoven. "Eagle" was a perfect vessel for those times. Its length was 24.5 m, width - 6.5 m, and draft - 1.5 m. The ship was armed with 22 guns. The crew consisted of 22 sailors and 35 archers. The combat vessel received its name in honor of the state emblem.

Alexei Mikhailovich's son Peter I understood perfectly well that the successful solution of the primary and historically important task - access to the Baltic and Black Seas - depended only on well-organized joint actions of the army and navy. As a result, in an incredibly short period of time (from November 1695 to May 1696) in cities located along the banks of rivers flowing into the Sea of ​​Azov, 36-gun ships “Apostle Peter” and “Apostle Paul”, 4 fire ships, 23 galleys were built , 1300 sea boats, rafts and plows.

Thus, the Azov Fleet was formed. On July 19, 1696, the Russian army, with the support of warships, took the Turkish fortress of Azak (Azov). The first major victory in the war for access to the sea was won.

In October 1696, the decision of the Boyar Duma legally determined the creation of the Russian fleet and marked the beginning of its construction. “There will be sea vessels...” - such was the will of not only the young Russian Tsar Peter I, but also his associates, who well understood that without a fleet the state could not take a new step in its development.

At numerous shipyards scattered throughout Russia, ships of the Russian Navy of various classes were built. By the spring of 1700, 40 sailing and 113 rowing ships were launched. The Azov fleet was constantly replenished. Having successfully solved the southern problem, Peter I set himself the task of achieving access to the Baltic Sea coast at any cost. The long Northern War with the Swedes began (1700-1721).

The enemy, well aware that he could undermine the power of the Russian army, decided to deliver his decisive blow to Arkhangelsk, the city where the shipyards where warships were built were located. But the enemy’s plan was well known to Peter I. He ordered the installation of batteries along the coastline, the construction of fortifications, the strengthening of the garrison and the control of foreign ships sailing in the White Sea.

The Novodvinsk fortress was built at the mouth of the Northern Dvina. On June 24, 1701, a Swedish squadron of seven ships under the command of Vice Admiral Sheblad, knowing nothing about the recently built Russian fortification, approached the mouth of the Northern Dvina. The battle lasted 13 hours. The surviving Swedes barely managed to go to sea on one galliot. Another major victory of the young Russian fleet was triumphant.

It was then that the famous Peter the Great commandments were born: “They don’t count enemies - they beat them,” “The flag is not lowered in front of the enemy under any circumstances,” “Fight to the last, and at the last moment destroy the ship,” etc. They formed the basis of the fighting traditions of the legendary Russian fleet.

The naval battle, which took place on July 26-27, 1714 near the Gangug Peninsula (now Hanko), occupies a special place among the naval battles of Peter the Great's time. During the battle, Russian soldiers managed to capture 6 enemy galleys and 3 skerries. In May 1719, off the island of Ezel, the squadron of Peter I boarded 3 Swedish ships. The emperor himself called the Ezel victory “a good initiative for the Russian fleet.”

In 1720, near the island of Grenham, a detachment of the Russian rowing fleet, commanded by General M. M. Golitsyn, defeated a Swedish squadron consisting of a battleship, 4 frigates, 3 galleys and 6 small ships. As a result, our fleet gained a foothold in the area of ​​the Åland archipelago and subsequently successfully conducted military operations against the enemy from here.

The Swedes, having suffered major losses in the war, were not even able to defend their own territories from the Russian landing. In 1721 they signed the Peace of Nystadt with Russia. The Northern War is over. As a result, the Russian state became a great maritime power.

During the period of his reign, Peter managed to do a lot for the Russian state, but in the list of his services to the Fatherland there is a title that he himself would appreciate most of all - “father of the Russian fleet.”

Thanks to Peter the Great, Russia became one of the strongest naval powers. It was the “father of the Russian fleet” who came up with the idea of ​​holding festive military parades. It is believed that the first such parade took place in 1699 before the Kerch campaign of ships from Taganrog.

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. The Navy as a heterogeneous strategic association was finally formed by the mid-1930s, when the Navy included naval aviation, coastal defense and air defense units.

The modern system of command and control bodies of the Navy finally took shape on the eve of the Great Patriotic War. On January 15, 1938, by a resolution of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars, the People's Commissariat of the Navy was created, within which the Main Naval Headquarters was formed.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Navy reliably covered the strategic flanks of the Soviet-German front, attacked enemy ships and vessels, and protected Russian sea communications.

In the post-war years, the Russian Navy entered the ocean, became nuclear-powered, missile-carrying, highly mobile, capable of solving any tasks to protect the Russian state.

The Navy had its greatest combat potential in the mid-1980s. After the collapse of the USSR, the Russian Navy faced a number of problems: the most important elements of the fleet's basing in the Black, Baltic and Caspian Seas were lost. The largest shipbuilding enterprises remained outside Russia. The number of ships, as well as the pace of construction of warships, was significantly reduced.

At the present stage, one of the main tasks of the state is to maintain the technical readiness of the existing fleet and build new ships, since the presence of a well-equipped modern Navy in Russia is one of the most important tools for ensuring Russia’s national interests in the World Ocean.

The Navy has a truly heroic biography and glorious maritime and military traditions. He is rightfully a source of pride and love for Russian citizens. Its history is one of persistent military work, great discoveries and achievements, feats accomplished for the glory of the Fatherland. With the active participation of many generations of military sailors, during the harsh years of trials, our country defended its right to independence, sovereignty and prosperity.

Russia is a great maritime power. The right to be considered it has been won by generations of our compatriots, whose courage and dedication, brilliant victories in naval battles have gained unfading glory for the country and its Navy.

And today, in the new difficult political and economic conditions, Russian sailors are vigilantly keeping watch to protect the maritime borders of their Motherland and, as before, are ready for any storm warnings. The Navy successfully solves problems in the interests of ensuring the security and defense capability of the state. As before, the courage and dedication of military sailors helps them overcome difficulties and fulfill their military duty with honor. A clear confirmation of this is the high level of training of personnel, competent use of the combat capabilities of modern weapons systems, vigilant performance of combat service and combat duty, loyalty to the St. Andrew's flag and the military oath.

After all, the most modern equipment will remain just a piece of metal without people capable of operating it - competent, trained, disciplined and dedicated people - officers, midshipmen, sailors, civilian specialists.

We cordially congratulate the military sailors on their holiday, the Day of the Navy of the Russian Federation!

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The list of holidays and memorial days dedicated to the military power of Russia is quite long. However, among them there is one that is familiar even to those of us who are far from the army. This holiday is Navy Day. And today we will tell you when this holiday appeared, what date is Navy Day in 2018, who is customary to congratulate on this memorable day and how old this wonderful holiday is.

Navy Day, like many professional and memorable holidays, is one of the transient ones, that is, not having a firmly fixed date in the calendar. According to the presidential decree, this day is celebrated in July, on the last weekend of the month. We open the calendar and look at what date the last Sunday in July falls on.

How old is the holiday?

Navy Day, which we are preparing to celebrate in 2018, is a fairly young holiday - it appeared in its modern form only in 2006. By presidential decree dated May 31, 2006, the last July Sunday was chosen as the date of the memorable day of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

However, the predecessor of the modern Navy Day 2018 was a Soviet holiday - Navy Day. It appeared after the end of the Civil War in the country, in 1939. Thus, in 2018, Navy Day will turn 79 years old - a very respectable period for a holiday, isn’t it?

history of the holiday

Navy Day owes its appearance to Nikolai Kuznetsov, an admiral who did a great deal of work to develop the navy of a young country that had just appeared on the political map of the world - the USSR. In 1939, the then legislative body of the country - the Council of People's Commissars - on the initiative of Kuznetsov, issued a Resolution that spoke of the establishment of a new professional holiday for military sailors - Navy Day. The holiday date is July 24th.

The purpose of establishing a new holiday was to mobilize all forces to strengthen the then new unit of the Armed Forces of the USSR - the military fleet. Having become the successor to the Navy of the Russian Empire, and having undergone many reforms in order to “get rid of the remnants of the past,” the Navy needed additional attention and increased prestige in the eyes of the population. It was these problems that the new holiday was supposed to solve.

July 24 was considered Navy Day until 1980, when the Supreme Council decided to make changes to the list of holidays and memorial days of the Soviet Army. The new date became “floating”, that is, the holiday was now to be celebrated on the last weekend in July.

Several decades later, the chosen date was confirmed by the President of the Russian Federation - by Decree of May 31, 2006, the last Sunday of the second summer month became the final option for celebrating Navy Day.

Celebrating Navy Day

Our country owes the glory of the great maritime power entirely to military sailors - those to whom the holiday is dedicated.

The ceremonial part begins with the raising of the St. Andrew's flag on military ships. The fleet personnel are congratulated by high-ranking army leaders - right up to the top officials of the state. The most distinguished military sailors will receive certificates and medals, extraordinary titles and awards, and personnel will be awarded with memorable gifts and thanks from higher ranks.

In honor of the holiday, parades of warships are held, and “open days” are held on many active ships of the fleet. For ordinary people, open house day is perhaps the most exciting part of the holiday. It is not surprising: everyone can see with their own eyes the structure of a warship, literally experience the life of a sailor in service, and personally meet those who protect the maritime borders of our homeland.

Not a single holiday is complete without military sports competitions between large and small ships. Finding and hitting a target, maneuvering and shooting, completing a task against a clock and the ability to navigate in non-standard situations - during competitions in a game form, the readiness of ships to defend the country is tested.

The list of holidays and memorial days in honor of the military power of our country is very impressive. However, among them there is one that is familiar even to people who are very far from the army. It's Navy Day. What date is Navy Day in 2018 in Russia, who is congratulated on this memorable day, how old is this holiday.

Navy Day, like many different professional and simply memorable holidays, is one of those that does not have one fixed date on the calendar. In accordance with the presidential decree, this holiday is always celebrated in July - on the last weekend of this month. By opening the calendar, we can see what date the last Sunday of July falls on.

Navy Day, which we will celebrate once again in 2018, is a fairly young holiday - in its current form it arose only 12 years ago - in 2006, the Ros-Register website informs. By presidential decree of May 31, 2006, the last Sunday in July was set as the date for this holiday.

However, modern Navy Day has a predecessor - the Soviet holiday Navy Day.

This holiday arose after the end of the Civil War, in 1939. Consequently, this year Navy Day turns 79 years old - and this is quite a serious period.

Navy Day owes its origins to Nikolai Kuznetsov, an admiral who at one time did a tremendous amount of work to establish the military fleet in the USSR. In 1939, the then legislative body of the state, the Council of People's Commissars, on the initiative of Nikolai Kuznetsov, issued a Resolution that stated the establishment of a new professional holiday for military sailors - Navy Day. The date of the holiday was then set on July 24.

The purpose of establishing this holiday was to mobilize all available forces to strengthen the then new unit of the USSR Armed Forces - the military fleet. Having become the successor to the Navy of the Russian Empire, and having undergone many reforms to somehow get rid of the remnants of the past, the Navy needed additional attention and strengthening of its image in the eyes of the population. To solve these problems, this holiday was established then.

July 24 was Navy Day until 1980 - then the Supreme Council decided to make changes to the list of holidays of the Soviet Army. The new date was made “floating” - since 1980, the holiday began to be celebrated on the last day of July.

Several decades later, the date chosen at that time was confirmed by the President of Russia - by decree of May 31, 2006, the last Sunday in July was recognized as the final option for celebrating Navy Day.

Russia owes its glory as a great maritime power entirely to its military sailors - Navy Day is celebrated in their honor.

The celebration traditionally begins with the raising of the St. Andrew's flag on military ships. The fleet personnel receive numerous congratulations from high-ranking military leaders, right down to the top officials of the country. The most distinguished military sailors are awarded certificates, medals, they are given extraordinary titles and awards, and the personnel are given memorable gifts and thanks.

In honor of Navy Day, parades of military ships are organized, and “open days” are held on many ships.

For ordinary people, such a day is probably the most interesting part of Navy Day. What is logical is that anyone gets the opportunity to observe with their own eyes the structure of a military ship, practically experience the life of a sailor, and get to know the people who protect the maritime borders of Russia.

Of course, on such a holiday, various military sports competitions between courts are also held. Finding/hitting a target, maneuvering/shooting, performing tasks against time, the ability to navigate in non-standard situations - competitions in a game form test the combat readiness of ships for national defense.

As the organizers of the celebration said, it will include several components - land, sea and air. The sea is clear - in the morning there will be a parade, which will also be broadcast on the big screen on Palace Square.

Air - residents can expect an aviation parade and, possibly, a performance by famous domestic aerobatic teams.

The ground component is a big concert on Dvortsovaya. Here, from 14.00, songs of the war years and classical music from musicians and performers from both the city and other countries of the world will be heard.

At 18.00 Oleg Gazmanov will take the stage, and at 20.00 the Turetsky Choir will give a concert.

During the day, festivals and entertainment programs for children and adults are expected in the recreation areas of St. Petersburg. The holiday will end at 23.00 with bright fireworks from the Peter and Paul Fortress.

According to tradition, the holiday is celebrated on a special scale, since its history is closely connected with the Russian Navy since imperial times. Therefore, people show the greatest interest in Sevastopol.

From the very morning, people lay flowers at the Memorial to the heroic defenders of Sevastopol on Nakhimovskaya Square and attend the ceremonial raising of the St. Andrew's flag. Later, residents and guests of the city flock to the observation decks to watch the parade of ships. The spectacular event includes the following program.

The Navy as an independent branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation took shape from the end of the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century. The creation of a regular military fleet in Russia was due to the country's urgent need to overcome territorial, political and cultural isolation, which at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries became the main obstacle to the economic and social development of the Russian state. The first regular formation of the Russian Navy was the Azov Fleet, which was formed from ships and vessels built in winter

1695-1696 and intended to assist the army in the campaign to capture the Turkish fortress of Azov.

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

During the Northern War of 1700-1721, the Baltic Fleet was created, which promoted Russia to one of the major naval 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 practically unchanged to this day, namely: the fight against the enemy’s naval forces, the fight on sea communications, the defense of one’s coast from the sea direction, assistance to the army in coastal areas, striking and ensuring an invasion of enemy territory from the sea. The proportion of 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 the Navy organizationally included 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 of 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 inclusion of the country 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 the Pacific Ocean, naval force groupings 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.

The Russian Navy is the successor to the Russian Navy and the USSR Navy, and 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: the Northern, Pacific, Baltic and Black Sea fleets, as well as the 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, there are currently between 70 and 100 ships of the Russian Navy performing their functions.

Throughout its history, the fleet has played an important role in the fate of Russia. World history forever captures the legendary battles of the Russian fleet at Gangut (now the Hanko Peninsula in Finland), Tendra, Sinop, Chesma, the most important 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. It became the first naval victory of the Russian fleet in Russian history. 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 the middle of the 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 proposal of the Headquarters of the Naval Forces of the Baltic Sea, on the day closest to May 18, the day off in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) began to celebrate Red Fleet Day. 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 memorial days” and subsequent legislative acts.

Traditionally, the celebration of Navy Day begins with the ceremonial formation of the personnel of naval units and the ritual of raising the St. Andrew's flag and flags on ships. Naval parades and military sports festivals are held on this day in the locations where the Northern, Pacific, Baltic and Black Sea fleets are based, as well as the Caspian flotilla. Parades of warships on this day

Navy Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of July on the basis of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated October 1, 1980 “On holidays and memorial days”.

This is one of the most beloved holidays in the USSR and then in Russia, which has the unofficial name of Neptune Day.

From the history of the fleet
The creation of a regular military fleet in Russia was due to the country's urgent need to overcome territorial, political and cultural isolation, which at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries became the main obstacle to the economic and social development of the Russian state.

The first Russian warship was created under Alexei Mikhailovich. It was built according to the design of the Dutch shipbuilder Colonel Cornelius Vanbukoven. "Eagle" was a perfect vessel for those times. Its length was 24.5 m, width - 6.5 m, and draft - 1.5 m. The ship was armed with 22 cannons. The crew consisted of 22 sailors and 35 archers. The combat vessel received its name in honor of the state emblem.
Alexei Mikhailovich's son Peter I understood perfectly well that the successful solution of the primary and historically important task - access to the Baltic and Black Seas - depended only on well-organized joint actions of the army and navy. As a result, in an incredibly short period of time (from November 1695 to May 1696) in cities located along the banks of rivers flowing into the Sea of ​​Azov, 36-gun ships “Apostle Peter” and “Apostle Paul”, 4 fire ships, 23 galleys, 1,300 sea boats, rafts and plows.

Thus, the Azov Fleet was formed. On July 19, 1696, the Russian army, with the support of warships, took the Turkish fortress of Azak (Azov). The first major victory in the war for access to the sea was won.
In October 1696, the decision of the Boyar Duma legally determined the creation of the Russian fleet and marked the beginning of its construction. “There will be sea vessels...” - such was the will of not only the young Russian Tsar Peter I, but also his associates, who well understood that without a fleet the state could not take a new step in its development.
At numerous shipyards scattered throughout Russia, ships of the Russian Navy of various classes were built. By the spring of 1700, 40 sailing and 113 rowing ships were launched. The Azov fleet was constantly replenished. Having successfully solved the southern problem, Peter I set himself the task of achieving access to the Baltic Sea coast at any cost. The long Northern War with the Swedes began (1700-1721).




The enemy, well aware that he could undermine the power of the Russian army, decided to deliver his decisive blow to Arkhangelsk, the city where the shipyards where warships were built were located. But the enemy’s plan was well known to Peter I. He ordered the installation of batteries along the coastline, the construction of fortifications, the strengthening of the garrison and the control of foreign ships sailing in the White Sea.

The Novodvinsk fortress was built at the mouth of the Northern Dvina. On June 24, 1701, a Swedish squadron of seven ships under the command of Vice Admiral Sheblad, knowing nothing about the recently constructed Russian fortification, approached the mouth of the Northern Dvina. The battle lasted 13 hours. The surviving Swedes barely managed to go to sea on one galliot. Another major victory of the young Russian fleet was triumphant.

It was then that the famous Peter the Great commandments were born: “They don’t count enemies - they beat them,” “The flag is not lowered before the enemy under any circumstances,” “Fight to the last, and at the last moment destroy the ship,” etc. They formed the basis of the fighting traditions of the legendary Russian fleet.

The naval battle, which took place on July 26-27, 1714 near the Gangug Peninsula (now Hanko), occupies a special place among the naval battles of Peter the Great's time. During the battle, Russian soldiers managed to capture 6 enemy galleys and 3 skerries. In May 1719, off the island of Ezel, the squadron of Peter I boarded 3 Swedish ships. The emperor himself called the Ezel victory “a good initiative for the Russian fleet.”

In 1720, near the island of Grenham, a detachment of the Russian rowing fleet, commanded by General M. M. Golitsyn, defeated a Swedish squadron consisting of a battleship, 4 frigates, 3 galleys and 6 small ships. As a result, our fleet gained a foothold in the area of ​​the Åland archipelago and subsequently successfully conducted military operations against the enemy from here.

The Swedes, having suffered major losses in the war, were not even able to defend their own territories from the Russian landing. In 1721 they signed the Peace of Nystadt with Russia. The Northern War is over. As a result, the Russian state became a great maritime power.
During the period of his reign, Peter managed to do a lot for the Russian state, but in the list of his services to the Fatherland there is a title that he himself would appreciate most of all - “father of the Russian fleet.”




Thanks to Peter the Great, Russia became one of the strongest naval powers. It was the “father of the Russian fleet” who came up with the idea of ​​holding festive military parades. It is believed that the first such parade took place in 1699 before the Kerch campaign of ships from Taganrog.

This holiday has a long history: 290 years - in August 1714, the Russian fleet under the command of Peter I won its first victory. Then the tradition arose on the occasion of victories at sea to line up ships and fire all cannons. In the Soviet Union, the “Red Fleet Week” was held since 1923. These days there were crowded rallies and meetings, labor cleanups, and fundraisers for the needs of the fleet. During Soviet times, the Birthday of the Russian Navy was called differently - the Birthday of the USSR Navy. It should be noted that this holiday began to be celebrated in 1939 on the initiative of the outstanding Soviet naval commander, Hero of the Soviet Union, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov. On July 30, 2006, it is celebrated for the 67th time.

Military sailors in the Soviet Union enjoyed special honor and respect. And they themselves enthusiastically celebrated their professional holiday - Navy Day. Submariners, marine paratroopers and other warriors whose battlefield is the sea will confirm that their work requires special training, a special state of mind, a special calling. It is no coincidence that for many decades, military service in the navy took as much as three years, while in other branches of the military it was a whole year shorter. The importance of the Navy today has not only not been lost, but has increased even more.




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. The Navy as a heterogeneous strategic association was finally formed by the mid-1930s, when the Navy included naval aviation, coastal defense and air defense units.

The modern system of command and control bodies of the Navy finally took shape on the eve of the Great Patriotic War. On January 15, 1938, by resolution of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars, the People's Commissariat of the Navy was created, within which the Main Naval Headquarters was formed. During the Great Patriotic War, the Navy reliably covered the strategic flanks of the Soviet-German front, attacked enemy ships and vessels, and protected Russian sea communications.

In the post-war years, the Russian Navy entered the ocean, became nuclear-powered, missile-carrying, highly mobile, capable of solving any tasks to protect the Russian state.




The Navy had its greatest combat potential in the mid-1980s. After the collapse of the USSR, the Russian Navy faced a number of problems: the most important elements of the fleet's basing in the Black, Baltic and Caspian Seas were lost. The largest shipbuilding enterprises remained outside Russia. The number of ships, as well as the pace of construction of warships, was significantly reduced.

At the present stage, one of the main tasks of the state is to maintain the technical readiness of the existing fleet and build new ships, since the presence of a well-equipped modern Navy in Russia is one of the most important tools for ensuring Russia’s national interests in the World Ocean.

The Navy has a truly heroic biography and glorious maritime and military traditions. He is rightfully a source of pride and love for Russian citizens. Its history is one of persistent military work, great discoveries and achievements, feats accomplished for the glory of the Fatherland. With the active participation of many generations of military sailors, during the harsh years of trials, our country defended its right to independence, sovereignty and prosperity.
Russia is a great maritime power. The right to be considered it has been won by generations of our compatriots, whose courage and dedication, brilliant victories in naval battles have gained unfading glory for the country and its Navy.

And today, in the new difficult political and economic conditions, Russian sailors are vigilantly keeping watch to protect the maritime borders of their Motherland and, as before, are ready for any storm warnings.




Today, the Navy successfully solves problems in the interests of ensuring the security and defense capability of the state. As before, the courage and dedication of military sailors helps them overcome difficulties and fulfill their military duty with honor. A clear confirmation of this is the high level of training of personnel, competent use of the combat capabilities of modern weapons systems, vigilant performance of combat service and combat duty, loyalty to the St. Andrew's flag and the military oath.

After all, the most modern equipment will remain just a piece of metal without people capable of operating it - competent, trained, disciplined and dedicated people - officers, midshipmen, sailors, civilian specialists.