Table of Contents

Executive Summary
This publication, The Russian Navy – A
Historic Transition, is intended to provide
the reader with a basic introduction to the
Russian Navy and an appreciation of current
developments that will shape Russia’s navy
and its operations in the 21st century.
Because the U.S. Navy operates worldwide
and the Russian Navy is an advanced, globally
capable force, its history, capabilities, missions,
and role within the Russian state and armed
forces should be clearly understood. The
new technologically advanced Russian Navy,
increasingly armed with the KALIBR family of
weapons, will be able to more capably defend
the maritime approaches to the Russian
Federation and exert significant influence in
adjacent seas. This multi-purpose force will be
the forward-layered defense of Russia and its
maritime exclusive economic zone and will be
able to promote Russian diplomatic interests,
advance maritime science, combat piracy, and
provide humanitarian assistance.
It will also provide a flexible platform for
Russia to demonstrate offensive capability,
threaten neighbors, project power regionally,
and advance President Putin’s stated goal of
returning Russia to clear great power status.
Over its 320-year history, the Russian Navy
has been instrumental in securing Russia’s
maritime access to the world, periodically
battled to maintain that access, directly
supported Russia’s land forces in times of
imperial expansion and in the expulsion of
invaders, been part of the strategic nuclear
deterrence triad, and demonstrated a global
presence in the national interest. Political and
military strategy and the role and mission of
the Navy evolved as the Russian state grew,
faced challenges, was transformed into the
Soviet Union by revolution, repelled invasion,
and encountered disintegration.
“The Russian Navy is being equipped with the
newest; including precision long-range strike
weapons, and has big nuclear power. Naval
forces today are capable of operating for a
long time and with high combat readiness in
operationally important areas of the global
ocean.”
- Admiral Viktor Chirkov
Commander-in-Chief, Russian Navy
Throughout, the navy retained, with some
adjustment for the passing years and
events, many of the basic organizational,
procedural, and personnel practices that
were laid down by its founder, Peter I
(the Great), at the beginning of the 18th
century. As the years passed, Russia’s naval
activity and the shipbuilding and weapons
iii