The Russian Navy Report

The Oldest Ship in the Russian Navy



Aurora in St.Petersburg



Just like the British and American Navies, the Russian Navy maintains a historic ship in commission. The oldest commissioned ship in the Russian Navy is the Aurora.

She is manned with an active duty crew and commanded by a captain 1^st rank.

Commissioned in the early years of the 20^th century, the Aurora took part in the Russo-Japanese war.

Aurora during Russo-Japanese War

The ship was moved to Petrograd (St.Petersburg) for repairs. The city was consumed with revolutionary fever at the time and the crew joined in with the Bolsheviks. On 25 October 1917 the ship’s crew refused an order to get underway. This action was the spark that started the October Revolution.

After the revolution the ship served as a training ship, and served in that capacity until after World War II.

After World War II the ship was permanently moored in the Neva River (St. Petersburg) as a monument to the October Revolution. In 1957 the Aurora was converted into a museum ship.

Pin, with the name of the ship

Since that time it is estimated that about 28 million people have toured the ship.