(from 5.2.1925 - "Profintern", from 31.10.1939 - "Red Crimea", from 7.5.1957 - "OS-20", from 18.3.1958 - "PKZ-144")
On September 28, 1913, the cruiser was included in the lists of ships of the Guards crew. On November 11, 1913, laid down at the Russian-Baltic shipbuilding and mechanical joint-stock company in Reval. Launched on November 28, 1915. In October 1917 he was transferred to Petrograd by the icebreaker Tarmo in tow. From November 1924, it was being completed at the Baltic plant. On February 5, 1925, "Svetlana" was renamed into "Profintern" (Profintern is the Red International of Trade Unions - an international organization of revolutionary trade unions. It was created at the international congress of revolutionary trade and industrial unions held in Moscow on November 3-19, 1921. By the end of 1937, Profintern ceased operations). On April 26, 1927, the ship was presented for testing.
On July 1, 1928, the cruiser Profintern joined the Baltic Sea Naval Forces (MSBM RKKF).
On August 6-12, 1928, the cruiser took part in the cruise of the ISMM ships under the flag of the Chairman of the USSR Revolutionary Military Council K. E. Voroshilov to the southwestern part of the Baltic Sea. (In addition to the Profintern, the cruise involved 3 battleships, 9 destroyers, 9 submarines, 3 transports).
In August 1929, the Profintern, together with the cruiser Aurora and four destroyers, took part in a foreign campaign. On August 16, he left Kronstadt and the next day at sea linked up with the cruiser Aurora, which had left Kronstadt earlier. On August 18, the cruisers under the general command of the chief of the training squadron of the ships of the VMUZ Yu. F. Rall arrived at the Svinemunde raid. The destroyers headed for Pillau and Memel. The leaders of the trip by plane left for Berlin. On August 21, the cruisers left Swinemunde and on the 23rd returned to Kronstadt. September 6-12, 1929 "Profintern" took part in the autumn maneuvers of the MSBM.
The cruiser "Profintern" shortly after entering service, 1929
Cruisers "Profintern" and "Aurora" during a visit to Swinemunde in August 1929
In November 1929, the cruiser "Profintern" (commander A. A. Kuznetsov) was included in the Practical detachment of the MSBM, which also included the battleship "Parizhskaya Kommuna". The commander of the detachment was L. M. Haller, the head of the battleship brigade of the MSBM. The battleship and cruiser were to move from the Baltic to the Black Sea.
On November 22, at 16.30, the detachment left Kronstadt. Late in the evening of November 24, he anchored in the Kiel Bay. Having taken fuel from the transports, the ships continued their voyage on November 26. Having passed the Belt, Kategat, having rounded the Skagen Cape, the detachment entered the North Sea. Here the first troubles began: the mechanics did not take into account the difference in the salinity of the Baltic and ocean water, and the boilers on the ships boiled. In the evening of November 27, the detachment anchored. Towards the morning of November 28, the ships weighed anchor, but at noon they had to anchor again, as the thickening haze covered the lighthouses.
Having passed the English Channel, the ships on November 30 at the Barfleur lighthouse met with the transports that had gone ahead. The average speed at the Kronstadt-Kilskaya bay crossing was 14 knots, and the Kilskaya bay - Cape Berfler - 10.9 knots. The ocean wave rocked ships and transports, which made bunkering much more difficult. In order not to wrinkle the sides and not to break the hoses, the ships were constantly working part-time with machines, and when the wind intensified, the loading was stopped. This operation lasted two days.
View from the forecastle to the bow towers of the main caliber of the cruiser "Krasny Kavkaz"
The Bay of Biscay met the ships with a fierce storm. When the detachment went against the wind, the Profintern, which had a high forecastle, easily climbed the wave. But unfortunately, the general course forced the ships to go lagging towards the wave. The cruiser roll reached 40 °. Reducing the stroke did not help either. By the evening of December 3, riveted seams of the hull parted from the blows of giant waves on the Profintern. Water began to flow into the 6th boiler room, at the same time the sump pump failed (the stem of the intake valve broke). The cruiser took up to 400 tons of water. L. M. Haller was forced to make a decision to call the nearest port. On December 4, after saluting the nations, the ships entered the outer roadstead of Brest. The crew of the cruiser began repairs on their own. And the storm was getting stronger, even on the outer roadstead the wind reached 10 points. Standing on two anchors, the Profintern was continuously working with small forward turbines. Two days later, the repair was over. French tugs brought an oil barge to the side, but they failed to fully replenish the fuel supply - the hoses were torn in the excitement.
Cruiser "Profintern" during the transition to the Black Sea. Photo from the battleship "Paris Commune"
"Profintern", winter 1930/31
"Profintern" in Sevastopol, early 1930s.
Profintern, early 1930s
On December 7, the ships again left for the Bay of Biscay. The storm reached hurricane force - wind up to 12 points, waves 10 meters high and 100 meters long. The cruiser roll reached 40 °. All boats were destroyed. The battleship received especially heavy damage, which buried its nose into the wave. Its deck was hidden under water along the first tower. When the bow attachment collapsed on it under the blows of the waves, the commander of the detachment decided to return to Brest.
On December 10, the ships again came to the roadstead of the French port. The battleship moved to the inner roadstead for repairs, the cruiser was anchored in the outer roadstead. Local authorities did not allow crews to land ashore. The commanders could go to the city only on business visits. Two weeks later, the repair of the battleship was completed, but due to the incessant storm, the exit was postponed. Only on December 26, the detachment left Brest, this time finally. Having rounded Cape San Vincent, the ships headed for Gibraltar.
"Red Caucasus" at the parade in Sevastopol, late 1930s. The catapult and boom crane for lifting seaplanes from the water are clearly visible
Having met the coming year of 1930 at sea, the detachment on January 1 came to the bay of Cagliari on the island of Sardinia. Here transports with fuel and water were already waiting. On January 6, permission was obtained to enter the harbor of the city of Cagliari and leave the teams ashore. For the first time in a month and a half, the sailors were able to feel solid ground under their feet. The next day a football match was organized between the city team and the Profintern team.
On January 8-9, the ships moved from Cagliari to Naples. On January 14, the detachment left Naples, and on January 17 entered the Black Sea, where it was met by the destroyer battalion of the MSChM. On January 18, 1930, the cruiser and battleship arrived in Sevastopol. For 57 days, the ships covered 6269 miles.
"Profintern" was included in the MSFM (since January 11, 1935 - Black Sea Fleet). On March 9, 1930, the Profintern, together with the battleship Parizhskaya Kommuna, the cruisers Chervona Ukraina and Krasny Kavkaz (completed in Nikolaev), was included in the division (since 1932 - brigade) of the MSCHM cruisers.
The next decade, the cruiser mastered a new theater, the crew was engaged in combat training. On October 10-13, 1931, the cruiser participated in the maneuvers of the MSChM.
On the night of May 10, 1932, the Profintern proceeded to the Chaud raid, where the fleet was being assembled. While maneuvering, he collided with the cruiser Krasny Kavkaz, which struck the Profintern with its bow into the starboard aft casemate. Damage repair took 12 days.
Cruiser Profintern, photo from the battleship Paris Commune, 1930s.
Profintern, 1930s Dornier "Val" flying boats fly over the cruiser
From August 26 to September 6, 1932, "Profintern" together with the cruiser "Chervo-na Ukraine", three destroyers and three gunboats made a cruise to the Sea of Azov.
October 24, 1933 "Profintern" with "Chervona Ukraine" left Sevastopol accompanying the Turkish steamer "Izmir", on which the Soviet government delegation headed by the People's Commissar for Military and Maritime Affairs K. E. Voroshilov went to Istanbul to celebrate the 10th anniversary Turkish Republic. On the morning of October 26, the ships arrived in Istanbul, and after 6 hours they left and returned to Sevastopol on October 27. On November 9, the cruisers again headed for Istanbul, on November 11 they joined the escort of the Izmir steamer with the returning delegation, and on November 12 they arrived in Odessa.
"Krasny Kavkaz" shortly after commissioning, 1933. Torpedo tubes at the edge of the forecastle and aircraft armament are clearly visible
In 1935-1938. Profintern has undergone major overhaul and modernization at Sevmorzavod.
On June 22, 1939, the Profintern, like the entire brigade of cruisers, was included in the formed squadron of the Black Sea Fleet. Back in 1937, the Profintern ceased its activities, but only two years later the cruiser was renamed, by analogy with the two cruisers of the brigade the name "Red Crimea". From that moment on, the brigade of the Black Sea Fleet cruisers can be called "Red".
The cruiser met the beginning of the Great Patriotic War under the command of Captain 2nd Rank A. I. Zubkov. The ship was under current repair at the factory # 201 (it got up for repairs in May 1941). On August 1, 1941, the cruiser departed from the wall of the plant. Docking at the North Dock from 8 to 10 August. On August 12, the cruiser was examined by the squadron commander L. A. Vladimirsky. On August 13, the cruiser, which had not yet been repaired, was included with two destroyers in Detachment 2 to repulse a possible landing in the Odessa region. On August 16, "Krasny Krym" went to sea to test mechanisms and maneuverability.
On August 21, at 7.00, the "Red Crimea" with the destroyers "Frunze" and "Dzerzhinsky" (detachment commander AI Zubkov) left the Main Base and arrived in Odessa exactly one day later. The cruiser, without the help of tugs, moored at the Platonovsky breakwater, and a correction post was landed on the shore. At 18.32 the ship withdrew from the mooring lines and went out to sea to fire at enemy positions. But because of the rain and fog, the targets were not visible, and the connection with the corpus was unstable. The shooting did not take place, and the ship returned to Odessa.
On August 23, the cruiser opened fire on the planes that were bombing the Odessa port. In two days, they fired 70 100-mm and 21 45-mm shells.
Cruiser "Red Crimea", 1939
The cruiser "Red Crimea" in Sevastopol at the parade, 1940. In the foreground is the destroyer "Zheleznyakov"
On August 23 at 17.30, the cruiser left the Odessa port and established contact with the kor-post. Having received the coordinates of the target in the area of the village of Sverdlovo (the headquarters of the 35th Romanian regiment), at 18.18 being on the traverse of Chebanka, from a distance of 82 kbt opened fire with the left side with 8-gun volleys. The enemy batteries returned fire at 19.06. At 19.30 "Krasny Krym" stopped firing, firing 462 shells, and lay down on the course of withdrawal.
At 20.30 the destroyer "Frunze" approached the board, the employees of the Odessa bank and 60 bags of money were taken on the cruiser. After finishing loading, the ship went out to sea. On August 24 at 7.30 am "Red Crimea" was on a barrel in Sevastopol.
On August 26-27, the cruiser moved from Sevastopol to Novorossiysk. On August 28, the ship's anti-aircraft gunners opened fire on the plane going to lay mines on the Novorossiysk fairway, the plane turned away and disappeared.
On September 14, by the directive of the Black Sea Fleet Military Council, the cruiser "Krasny Krym" was included in the squadron of ships intended for the landing at Grigoriev-ki near Odessa.
Quadruple 7, 62-mm anti-aircraft machine gun "Maxim"
On September 18 at 17.30 "Red Crimea" left Novorossiysk, accompanying the transports "Bialystok" and "Crimea", heading with troops to Odessa. V
At 6.00 on September 19, the convoy was met by TSC and SKA, at 7.00 it passed the Aytodor lighthouse, and at 10.50 it passed the traverse of the Konstantinovskaya battery. The cruiser brought the transports to the edge of the minefields (Cape Tar-khankut), then the destroyer "Boyky" entered their escort, and the cruiser turned to the main base and on September 20 at 6.30 entered the Sevastopol Bay.
Participated in the landing at Grigor-evka. On September 21 at 6.17, together with the cruiser Krasny Kavkaz, we left the Northern Bay and, anchored at the Cossack Bay, began to take the landing with the help of the barges. By 11.59, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 3rd Naval Regiment, -1109 men instead of the expected 758, were taken on board. 1st brigade submarine. At 13.38 the ship weighed anchor and, having entered the wake of the "Krasny Kavkaz", as part of the detachment left for its intended purpose, the speed of 18 knots.
At 18.44, two enemy aircraft were discovered, and all the anti-aircraft guns of the starboard opened fire on them. After 5 minutes, the planes turned away and the shooting stopped.
Cruiser "Red Crimea", 1940. A crane for loading mines is visible on the deck of the poop; the jibs of the aircraft cranes have not yet been dismantled
On September 22, at 1.14, the detachment arrived in the Grigoryevka area, at the rendezvous point with a detachment of landing craft, which was not there. The cruiser took the starting point, and, holding the machines at 1.20 from a distance of 18 kbt, opened fire with her starboard side along the coast, along the spillway of the Ad-Zhalik estuary. At 1.27 the fire was transferred to Grigorievka, and seven minutes later it was stopped. At 1.40, the landing of troops began with the help of barges. Supporting the landing "Red Crimea" at 2.03 opened fire with all its side at Chebanka, the state farm named after Kotovsky, Meshchanka. By 3.00 am the longboats made 10 flights, having disembarked 416 people, then the gunboat Krasnaya Gruziya approached the cruiser and received the remaining paratroopers. At 3.43 the cruiser stopped firing along the coast, which was conducted intermittently for three hours, firing 273 130-mm and 250 - 45-mm shells. At 4.05 am the cruisers "Krasny Krym" and "Krasny Kavkaz" headed for Sevastopol, developing a speed of 24 knots. At 16.52 the ship landed on a barrel in the Northern Bay. On the same day at 20.00 "Red Crimea" left Sevastopol and at 11.30 on September 23 arrived in Novorossiysk. On September 26, the cruiser moved from Novorossiysk to Tuapse.
In the evening of September 30, the cruiser left Tuapse, on October 1 at 13.09 arrived in Batumi and stood at the oil pier to receive fuel oil and water. By 17.00, the bunkering was completed and the loading of the machine-gun battalion began - 263 personnel, 36 heavy machine guns, 2 45-mm guns with ammunition. Having taken on board the troops, at 21.30 he left Batumi for Feodosia, where he arrived on October 2 at 17.28. Having unloaded the battalion on barges, the cruiser weighed anchor at 18.45. On the morning of October 3, he arrived in Novorossiysk, and then left for Tuapse.
On October 28, the brigade of cruisers was disbanded, and the cruisers were subordinated directly to the commander of the squadron of the Black Sea Fleet.
On October 29 at 16.00 "Red Crimea" came from Tuapse to Novorossiysk and anchored. Harbor tugs transported a battalion of marines - 600 people with weapons and ammunition from the shore to the ship, and at 22.56 it left Novorossiysk. On October 30 at 15.53 the cruiser came to Sevastopol and stood on the barrels, the battalion was unloaded onto the approaching tugs. On October 31 at 1.35, enemy aircraft raided the main base, the cruiser commander ordered anti-aircraft fire not to open, so as not to unmask the ship.
Bow chimney "Krasny Kavkaz"
"Red Crimea" was included in the artillery support detachment of the troops of the Sevastopol garrison, the detachment commander - chief of staff of the squadron Captain 1st Rank VA Andreev.
On November 2, at 9.30 am, a fierce air raid on Sevastopol began, three Ju-88s attacked the cruiser, dropping seven bombs. All of them fell 20 meters from the side, three did not explode, and five Red Navy men were wounded from the explosions of four bombs by shrapnel. By 18 o'clock the cruiser approached the pier of the mine and torpedo workshop and began accepting the property of the evacuated mine and torpedo department of the Black Sea Fleet. At the same time, the property of the Crimean Regional Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, the wounded, and the families of servicemen were loaded.
On November 3, the Military Council of the Fleet decided to withdraw the ships from Sevastopol.
Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral F. S. Oktyabrsky spoke to the crew of the cruiser "Red Crimea"
On the same day, by 17.00, the cruiser finished loading, having accepted 350 wounded, 75 servicemen, 100 evacuees, documents of the Black Sea Fleet headquarters, 30 torpedoes, 1800 Aubrey devices, torpedo spare parts and only 100 boxes of tools.
At 18.27 “Krasny Krym” left Sevastopol in Tuapse, all documents and property of the Black Sea Fleet headquarters were sent on the cruiser to the Black Sea Fleet ZKP, equipped 4 km south-west of Tuapse. On November 4 at 14.00 he arrived in Tuapse. Due to the large overload of the base, the command of the Tuap-Sin naval base could not take all the property and the wounded. On November 6 at 00.55 the cruiser left Tuapse, at 14.00 arrived in Batumi and, moored at the pier, began unloading.
On November 7, by 9.00, the cruiser finished unloading, received fuel oil and at 13.55 left Batumi for Sevastopol. On November 8, the ship entered Tuapse to replenish the fuel supply, and at 7.47 on November 9, the Red Crimea arrived in Sevastopol and stood on barrel number 8. At 10.00 and 11.00 enemy aircraft raided the base, but the cruiser was not injured. At 15.30 the ship changed its anchorage, standing on the barrels of the battleship "Paris Commune" near the mine and torpedo workshops.
On November 10, Krasny Krym received the task of destroying the enemy's long-range battery in the Kachi area. At 6.30 he opened fire with the main battery at a distance of 85 kbt. The shooting was corrected by corpost. After four sighting shots, the ship went over to defeat with three-gun volleys. At 8.00 he finished shooting, firing 81 shells. The enemy's battery was destroyed. Twice more that day, the cruiser opened fire on the accumulation of enemy manpower - at 12.30 in the Inkerman area (31 shells) and at 20.00 in the area of the village. Du-vankoy (20 rounds).
8 23.00 the ship withdrew from the barrels and under tugboats went to the Yuzhnaya Bay, where at 2.00 on November 11 it gave up the starboard anchor and moored with the left side at the refrigerator. On November 11, Krasny Krym continued to fire at the enemy infantry clusters, firing 105 shells.
These days, German aviation carried out massive raids on Sevastopol, on November 10, the cruiser shot down an enemy aircraft with 45-mm guns.
On November 12, "Krasny Krym" was standing by the refrigerator. At 10.00 a strong raid on the city and ships began, the cruiser opened fire with all anti-aircraft guns and machine guns. Two groups of three Ju-88 planes boarded the ship and dropped bombs from level flight. 10 bombs fell at a distance of 50 m and beyond. The same aircraft entered the cruiser twice more, but because of the intense anti-aircraft fire, the bombs were dropped inaccurately, the ship was not damaged. At 12.00 the second wave of 28 bombers attacked the city and ships, the cruiser Chervona Ukraina was heavily damaged and killed, the destroyers Merciless and Perfect were heavily damaged. The aircraft several times entered the "Red Crimea", but they bombed inaccurately, the bombs fell in the city and on the embankment, the ship was not damaged. On November 12, 221 100-mm and 497 45-mm shells were expended in repelling aviation attacks. On November 13 and 14, German planes bombed the Yuzhnaya Bay and ships, but strong anti-aircraft fire each time forced them to hastily drop bombs, the cruiser was not damaged.
On November 14, cadets of the Black Sea Fleet training detachment - 600 people, personnel and property of the Black Sea Fleet SNiS, the Black Sea Fleet Sanitary Department, the Naval NK Directorate, the Black Sea Fleet Prosecutor's Office, the command of the border troops, the NKVD team with the Prosecutor's Office and the Crimean Tribunal, the Black Sea Fleet Intelligence Department, families of servicemen were loaded onto the ship. In total, 350 wounded, 217 military personnel, 103 civilians, 105 tons of cargo were received. At 23.15 the cruiser left Sevastopol. At dawn, he joined the security of the "Tashkent" transport, which was going at a speed of 8 knots. On the night of November 15, the transport fell behind and at dawn on November 16, the cruiser turned on the opposite course, to search for it. At 7.30, the transport was discovered, to increase the speed of the detachment, tugs were sent to the transport, but at a speed of 14 knots, they burst. At 17.50, the "Red Crimea" with transport caught up and began to bypass the motor ship "Abkhazia", accompanied by the destroyer "Nezamozhnik". "Tashkent" was handed over to the destroyer, and the cruiser joined the guard of "Abkhazia". On November 17, the cruiser arrived in Tuapse at 16.30, and the ship headed for Poti.
On November 26, the cruiser moved from Tuapse to Novorossiysk and anchored.
At 1.10 on November 27, he moored at the pier and began loading troops. At 3.15, having on board 1000 soldiers and commanders of replenishment for the Primorskaya army, he left Novorossiysk for Sevastopol, where he arrived on November 28 at 6.25, the cruiser was accompanied by the destroyer Zheleznyakov on the transition.
On November 29, from 22.05 to 22.50, while at anchor and mooring at the refrigerator, the cruiser fired at the enemy concentration in the Shuli, Cherkez-Kermen area, height 198, 4, the fire was fired across the squares, without adjustment. 179 shells were fired.
On November 30 at 23.34, accompanied by two minesweepers, the cruiser left Sevastopol for the Balaklava region. At 2.25 on December 1, he took the starting point for firing between the coast and the inner edge of the minefield, stopped the vehicles and from a distance of 87 kbt, opened fire with his left side at motorized units in the Varnutka area, from Kuchuk-Muskomya, shooting was carried out across the squares. At 2.56, the cruiser finished firing, using up 149 shells, and at 4.25 returned to base.
On the same day, from 12.45 to 13.20, anchored and moored at the refrigerator in the South Bay, the cruiser fired at the enemy troops' clusters near the village of Shuli (Mount Zubuk-Tepe, height 449, at a distance of 100 kbt in areas, 60 shells were consumed. fired from the starboard side at the manpower in the Mamashay area, the shooting was corrected. Since the shooting was carried out at the maximum distance of 120 kbt, an artificial roll of 3 ° to the left side was created.
On December 2, from the mooring lines at the refrigerator "Krasny Krym" carried out two firing at manpower near the village of Cherkez-Kermen, expenditure of 60 shells, s. Shuli - 39 rounds. On December 3, from 16.11 to 17.30, the cruiser fired at an enemy battery located near the village of Kuchka, consuming 28 shells. The shooting was adjusted.
On December 5, having received 296 wounded and 72 evacuated passengers, "Krasny Krym" left Sevastopol at 16.20. On the morning of December 6, he joined the guard of the transports "Bialystok" and "Lvov". On December 7 at 9.59 he arrived in Tuapse, where he unloaded some of the wounded and evacuees, and on December 9 he moved from Tuapse to Poti.
On December 10 at 7.30 he left Poti for Novorossiysk, escorting transports "Kalinin" and "Dimitrov" with troops for Sevastopol. Transport speed - 6 knots. On December 12, the cruiser's signalmen discovered a floating mine, which they shot. On December 13, at 8.00, the ships turned to the Inkerman target, the enemy opened fire, several shells fell 50-70 m from the cruiser, two sailors were wounded by shrapnel. At 16.50 the cruiser left Sevastopol for Novorossiysk, where it arrived at 6.00 on December 14.
In December 1941, the fleet was preparing for a major landing operation, the purpose of which was to liberate the Kerch Peninsula and provide assistance to Sevastopol.
Loading the assault on a cruiser
"Red Crimea", among other ships, was supposed to participate in the landing of troops in Feodosia, but on December 17 the enemy launched a second offensive against Sevastopol along the entire front. The headquarters ordered the immediate delivery of reinforcements to the defenders of the city.
December 20, accepting 1680 soldiers and commanders of the 79th Special Rifle Brigade at 17.00 with the cruiser Krasny Kavkaz (flag of the F. S. Oktyabrsky commander), the leader of Kharkov, the destroyers Bodry and Nezamozhnik, Krasny Krym left Novorossiysk. Due to the fog, the detachment could not force the minefields at night and was forced to break through in the afternoon of December 21 on the approach to Sevastopol, in the area of the Kherson lighthouse, the ships were attacked by German aviation - six Me-110, 6 bombs were dropped on the cruiser, which fell into 100 m aft, at the same time the planes fired at the ships from machine guns. Received no damage. Anti-aircraft artillery of the "Red Crimea" actively repelled attacks, firing 72 100-mm and 100 45-mm shells. At 13.00 the ships entered the main base, the cruiser moored at the refrigerator and began disembarking. At 17.50-18.00 "Krasny Krym" fired at a motor-convoy in the area of Dacha Toropov near the village of Alsu, using up 30 shells.
On December 22, standing at the moorings at the refrigerator, during the day, he conducted four firing of them, one night in the squares and one with adjustments to motorized columns and enemy manpower, used up 141 shells. At 19.30, having received 87 wounded, the destroyer Nezamozhnik left Sevastopol for the Balaklava area with the task of suppressing the enemy's manpower with 130-mm guns. Having stopped the course, from a distance of 85 kbt from 20.25 to 22.05 the cruiser fired at the enemy in the area of Verkhnyaya Chorgun, Dacha Toropova, Kuchuk-Muskamya. A darkened blue light installed on the shore served as a targeting point. At 22.05, having finished firing (the consumption of 77 shells), the ships headed to Tuapse, where they arrived at 10.50 on 23 December.
On December 24-25 I moved from Tuapse to Novorossiysk.
Participated in the Kerch-Feodosiya operation. At the first stage of the operation, the cruiser was included in the ship support detachment of the landing detachment "B" of Rear Admiral NO Abramov, which was supposed to land at the town of Opuk.
The "Red Crimea" was tasked with shelling Feodosia together with the destroyer "Shaumyan" on the night of December 25-26, identifying batteries and firing points, after which, on the afternoon of December 26, systematic shelling of the Feodosiya-Kerch road to prevent the enemy from transferring its reserves to the regions, where they were supposed to land the troops (Kerch, Duranda) and support the troops landing in Duranda with the fire of their artillery.
On December 25, at 20.20, the Red Crimea with the Shaumyan destroyer left Novorossiysk for the Kerch Strait region, transmitting weather data in the area of operation. On December 26, at 5.32 am, the cruiser opened fire with her main caliber starboard from a distance of 55-60 kbt at the port of Feodosia. At 5.40 he finished firing 70 high-explosive shells. This artillery raid on Feodosia was superfluous - the shooting was carried out across the squares and did not cause damage to the enemy, the enemy's batteries were also not spotted. Then the ships headed east to meet the cruiser Krasny Kavkaz and the destroyer Nezamozhnik. At 7.50 they lay down in the wake of the "Krasny Kavkaz", the cruisers were aimlessly maneuvering in the Feodosia Bay: Elgan-Kaya, Chauda - Feodosia, trying to find the detachment of Rear Admiral N. O. Abramov. In the sea - fog, rain, snow, poor visibility. 23.00 the cruiser anchored in the Chauda area, 20 kb from the Duranda pier. At 6.00 on December 27, the ship support squad received a message that the landing squad had returned to Anapa. At 7.30 the cruiser weighed anchor and at 14.00 moored at the Elevator pier of Novorossiysk.
Anti-aircraft 102-mm gun B-2 of the cruiser "Krasny Kavkaz"
Included in the squad of support ships of the landing squad "A". On December 28, by 17.10, a landing of -2000 fighters and commanders of the 9th Rifle Corps, 2 mortars, 35 tons of ammunition, 18 tons of food was taken on the "Red Crimea". The commander of the 9th rifle corps, Major General I. F. Dashichev with his headquarters, was stationed on the ship. The boats of the cruisers No. 1 and No. 3 were left in Novorossiysk, instead of them the longboats of the battleship "Paris Commune" and the cruiser "Voroshilov" were taken on board.
At 19.00 "Krasny Krym" took off from the mooring and as part of a detachment with the cruiser "Krasny Kavkaz" and three destroyers left Novorossiysk.
On December 29, at 3:05 am, the ship support detachment reorganized into a wake column, at 3.45 am it lay down on a combat tack, and three minutes later the Red Crimea at a speed of 6 knots opened fire with its port side from 130-mm and 45-mm guns. At 04.03 the fire was stopped, and at 4.35 the cruiser anchored at 2 kbt from the Shirokiy mole and at 4.48 began the landing with the help of four barges, then six SKA boats approached, which transported 1100 paratroopers. At 4.50, covering the landing, the ship opened direct fire at firing points in the port and city, in the area of Cape Ilya. At the stationary ship, the enemy fired from guns, mortars and machine guns. At 6.23, the destroyer "Shaumyan" approached the starboard side of the cruiser to receive the landing, but its commander could not moor on the move. At the same time, the enemy coastal battery opened fire on the ships, and the destroyer, having received an order to suppress the battery, withdrew from the cruiser. Then the BTShch "Shield" approached the side of the cruiser and received 300 people.
For more than two hours the ship was under artillery and mortar fire. The first shell exploded at 7.15 in the battery deck at gun No. 3 in the area of 45-49 shp. the starboard side, as a result, a hole with an area of 1.5 m2 and many small holes were formed, the windings of the demagnetizer were broken. A fire broke out, cork insulation was on fire. The killed and wounded appeared. The fire was extinguished with water and fire extinguishers, and a shield was placed on the hole. This was followed by shells hitting the stem, into the 1st pipe. At 7.42 a shell explosion on a forecastle in the area of 43-44 shp. the left side pierced the side armor of the shield of gun No. 12. As a result, the gun jammed, damaged by shrapnel, and the 45-mm gun was out of order. A 130-mm pencil case with a charge caught fire, but was thrown overboard.
View from the bow superstructure on the tank of the cruiser "Krasny Kavkaz". The bow turrets of the main caliber are clearly visible. On the roof of the elevated tower is the Vik-kers anti-aircraft machine gun. 1942 g.
At 7.47, the shell exploded in the area of 3538 shp. starboard, a hole with an area of 1 m2 and many small shrapnel holes were formed. The large hole was closed with a wooden shield, and the smaller ones - with wooden plugs. At 7.49 in the region of 34-35 shp. on the starboard side, a shell explosion destroyed the wooden deck flooring with an area of 0.75 m2 and smashed the steel bollard on the forecastle. Bulwark is damaged. At 7.50 on a forecastle in the area of 22 shp. a mine exploded, as a result of which up to 30 small holes were formed in the ventilation shaft.
At 9.15 am the landing of the paratroopers was completed (Major General I. F. Dashichev with the headquarters remained on the ship) and two minutes later the cruiser began anchoring. Almost simultaneously with this, at 09.17 and 09.20, two shells hit the navigator's bridge and the wheelhouse. The deckhouse was out of order, the deck of the bridge was damaged, ladders were broken, a lot of wires were broken, windows were smashed, doors were demolished, communication pipes and cables were broken, tachometers and machine telegraph were out of order, the searchlight control drive was damaged. During shooting from anchor, a shell hit destroyed the MO air ventilation shaft, rostrum and deck flooring, mine rails. A fire broke out on the rostras in the area of 77-78 shp, where there were barges with tanks filled with gasoline. The emergency party, having created a water barrier, extinguished the fire.
During the landing, 8 shells and 3 mines hit the ship, 130-mm guns No. 3, 7 and 12 were disabled from the crew and the landing force, 18 people were killed and 46 were wounded. Simultaneously with the landing, the ship fired single shots at enemy firing points and troop concentrations, defeating two batteries and suppressing one, destroying several machine-gun points. The cruiser used up 318 130-mm and 680 45-mm shells.
At 09.25, the anchor was selected, at which moment German air raids began. The ship retreated to the south, maneuvering at full speed and repelling air attacks. The cruiser was attacked 11 times, but only in three cases the bombs fell 10-15 m from the ship. As a result of the explosions of bombs by hydraulic shocks on the stern, water began to filter into the stern ballast tanks, fuel oil began to seep through the seams and rivets of the oil tanks. Bomb fragments made 50 small holes, broke the halyards of the bow bridge, damaged the armored cover of the porthole in the operational wheelhouse. There were no hits in the armor belt.
"Red Crimea" with a landing party on board, 1942. On the rostrum above the side sponsons of the 130-mm guns, the 12.7-mm DShK machine gun and the 20-mm Er-Likon are clearly visible
At 23.30 "Red Crimea" anchored in the depths of the Feodosiya Gulf. On December 30, at 7.40, he weighed anchor, maneuvered in the Feodosiya Gulf during the day, repelling air raids. During the day, up to 15 attacks were made on the ship in groups of two or three aircraft. They were reflected by powerful fire of all calibers, including the main one, which fired shrapnel at low-flying aircraft, as a result, the aircraft turned away and dropped bombs away from the ship. Only in two cases did the bombs fall 20 meters from the side, there were no casualties. For anti-aircraft targets, on December 29 and 30, 52 130-mm shrapnel, 322 100-mm fragmentation grenades 741 45-mm fragmentation tracer projectile were consumed. The ship kept in touch with the core posts and was ready to open fire on the enemy. Eighteen dead sailors were buried at sea. At 16.00 in Dvuyakornaya Bay, Major General Dashicheva and his headquarters were transferred to a minesweeper. After that, the commander of the landing, Captain 1st Rank NE Basisty, ordered the cruiser with the destroyer "Shaumyan" to follow to Novorossiysk. When approaching Novorossiysk, the cruiser received an order to follow in Tuapse, where it arrived on December 31 at 3.15 and anchored.
On January 1, 1942, the "Red Crimea", having accepted 260 people and 40 tons of cargo, left Tuapse for Feodosia at 17.00. On January 2, at 15.00, he anchored at 3.5 kbt from the protective pier of the Feodosia port and by 9.00 unloaded the personnel and cargo with four barges. At the same time, the cruiser supported the left flank of the troops in the Feodosiya sector of the front with fire. By 11.00, visibility deteriorated sharply, fog was creeping in, and snow began to fall. On January 2 and 3, the cruiser maneuvered in the Feodosiya Gulf. The meteorological situation continued to deteriorate: strong swell, snow, fog forced the ship to anchor several times. By the morning of January 4, visibility improved slightly and the ship, all icy, returned to Novorossiysk.
On January 4, having taken aboard 1200 soldiers and commanders of the 226th Mountain Rifle Regiment and 35 tons of cargo, "Krasny Krym" at 17.00, together with TSC-412 (13) and four MO boats, left Novorossiysk in order to land troops in the Alushta region … But due to the icing of the boats, the detachment turned on the opposite course at 4:00 on January 5 and returned to Novorossiysk at 10:00. At 16.00 the ships again left Novorossiysk for Alushta, but because of the storm they could not land the troops and at 13.30 on January 6 they returned to Novorossiysk and landed the troops in the port.
100-mm Minisini cannon in the "Red Caucasus". Calculation training
On January 8, having received 730 soldiers and commanders, 45 tons of cargo, "Red Crimea" at 15.15 left Novorossiysk for Feodosia with two SKA, at 22.40 anchored in the Feodosia Bay, lowered the barges and began unloading. By 1.40 January 9, he completed the landing, received 13 people arrested by the NKVD, including the "head" of Feodosia Gruzinov, and weighed anchor. At 10.35 I arrived in Novorossiysk and moored at the elevator. At 11.00, an air raid was announced at the base, three Ju-88s went to the ships. Heavy fire was opened by means of air defense of the base and ships, the planes hastily dropped their bombs and left. The cruiser used 23 100-mm and 40 45-mm shells. On January 12, the ship moved from Novorossiysk to Tuapse, and on the 14th returned to Novorossiysk.
In January 1942, the Black Sea Fleet, in order to divert the enemy forces advancing on Feodosia, landed three tactical assault forces in the Sudak area, in two of which the Red Crimea also participated.
76-mm cannon ZIS-3 on the deck of the "Red Crimea" during the transfer of reinforcements to Sevastopol
On January 15, having accepted the landing - 560 fighters and commanders of the 226th Mountain Rifle Regiment, "Red Crimea" under the flag of the commander of the amphibious assault ship captain 1st rank V. A. Andreev, at 13.00 with the destroyers "Soobrazitelny" and "Shaumyan" Novorossiysk to Sudak. At 14.30 the ships passed the minefields, and at sea they were joined by a naval support detachment - the battleship Paris Commune (the flag of the squadron commander), the destroyers Impeccable and Zheleznyakov. The ships lined up in a marching order, the speed of 16 knots. The ships were discovered by a Ju-88 aircraft, which accompanied them for over an hour. The detachment laid down on a course of 260 ° to Sevastopol and followed them until 20 o'clock. The landing detachment - the gunboat "Red Ajaristan" and the patrol boats with the first throw of the landing were waiting abeam the Kerch Prospect. At 15.00, enemy aircraft tried to attack the ships, but they were driven away by the anti-aircraft fire of the battleship and cruiser. During the passage, the cruiser had more than 40 reliable radio beacon determinations, which ensured an accurate approach to the landing site of the entire detachment. To ensure the ships' exit to the intended landing point, submarines Shch-201 and M-55 were sent there in advance, which at the specified time at 2, 5 and 7, 5 miles from the coast turned on the reference lights. At 22.10 the detachment went to the green fire of the M-55 submarine, which was 7 miles from Sudak, lay down on a course of 350 °, and went to the red light of the Shch-201 submarine. At a distance of two miles from the coast, the ships occupied the starting points of the disposition and at 23.45 opened fire on the coastline in the landing area between Cape Alchak and the Genoese pier of Sudak. "Paris Commune" illuminated the coast with lighting shells, "Red Crimea" fired at the beach from a distance of 23 kbt. As a result, enemy wire fences and firing points were destroyed. The cruiser used up 96 high-explosive shells. At midnight on January 16, the MO boats with a landing party went to the landing site, and at 0.05 the cruiser ceased fire on the beach.
At 0.59, the cruiser gave up the right anchor and a minute later began the landing and unloading of ammunition by boats and longboats. Covering the landing, the cruiser periodically opened fire on the city of Sudak and the roads, finished firing at 3.31, having expended 103 shells (total for the operation - 199 shells). Mortar fire was opened on the cruiser from the shore, mines fell at a distance of 4-5 kbt, but there were no hits on the ship. The wounded were delivered to the cruiser from the shore. At 4.15 the disembarkation was completed, the longboats were lifted aboard, at 4.24 the cruiser chose an anchor and laid down on the withdrawal course, having developed 22 knots. At 16.25 he arrived in Novorossiysk and moored at the Elevatornaya pier.
"Red Crimea" in Novorossiysk, 1942
On January 20, the cruiser moved from Novorossiysk to Tuapse. On the night of January 21-22, nord-ost (bora) fell on Tuapse. On the morning of January 22, waves broke off the mooring cruiser "Molotov", which was parked at a nearby pier. The given anchor-chain broke, the cruiser began to turn 180 ° by wind and waves. Mooring lines were brought from Molotov to Krasny Krym, but they burst. "Molotov" with a bow drew along the side of "Krasniy Krym", deploying a gun and hitting the side of the tanker "Kremlin" standing at the stern of the cruiser, which sank.
Considering the successful landing of the 226th regiment, the front commander ordered the fleet to land the 554th mountain rifle regiment in the same area.
On January 23, "Krasny Krym" took on board units of the 554th Mountain Rifle Regiment (1,450 Red Army men and commanders, 70 tons of ammunition, 10 tons of provisions) and with the destroyers "Bezuprechny" and "Shaumyan" left Tuapse at 16.00. The commander of the landing detachment, Captain 1st Rank V. A. Andreev, was holding the flag on the cruiser. At 18.00, the ships in the Kabardinka area fell into a strip of fog and were forced to anchor. On January 24, at about 4 o'clock, the fog began to dissipate, the ships weighed anchor and entered Novorossiysk. At 12.16 the detachment, which was joined by the destroyer "Savvy", went to sea. Meteorological situation - fog, strong northeast wind and low temperature. The upper deck, superstructures and rails were covered with ice. At 22.15 a red light from the submarine Shch-201 was discovered, guided by which the cruiser at 23.03 anchored at a 20-meter depth of 5 kb from the Sudak beach. At 23.20, he began to disembark. First of all, ammunition and food supplies were delivered to the coast by barks, and paratroopers were delivered by SKA boats. The minesweeper TShch-16 for 50 minutes tried to approach the cruiser in order to receive the paratroopers, broke two ladders and a bypass, but could not come up. By 6.00 on January 25, the landing was basically completed, 1300 people were unloaded, all ammunition and food, 250 people remained on the ship. But the increased excitement and the proximity of dawn did not allow the ships to remain off the coast. At 06.05 they weighed anchor in order to break away to the 44th parallel by dawn - 08.00, ensuring a reliable retreat of the detachment before enemy air raids. At 6.30 the cruiser and the destroyers laid down on a course of 150 ° and arrived at Novorossiysk at 16.30.
45-mm gun 21-K of the cruiser "Krasny Kavkaz"
On January 28, Krasny Krym moved from Novorossiysk to Tuapse for a 10-day repair. After completing the repairs, the cruiser moved from Tuapse to Novorossiysk on February 11.
On February 13, taking on board 1,075 marching companies, 35 people from the Black Sea Fleet headquarters and 35 tons of cargo, the cruiser left Novorossiysk at 4:20 pm and arrived in Sevastopol at 10.50 am on February 14, stood at the refrigerator and made a landing.
On February 22, anchored in the Sevastopol Bay, the "Krasny Krym" fired with her starboard side at the enemy troops in the Shuli area, fired 20 shots. On February 24, at 11.40, an air raid sounded in the city. From the side of Evpatoria, at an altitude of 3000 m, seven Ju-88s were found, which were going to the cruiser. The air defense of the base opened fire with a delay, so the planes, without breaking the formation, went to the ship from the bow until the moment the bombs were dropped. The cruiser's anti-aircraft artillery opened fire in a timely manner, but since the enemy attacked from the nose, the number of its barrels was limited. All seven planes took turns diving onto the ship, and each dropped two 500 kg bombs. Three fell on the left side at a distance of 20 m, 11 - on the starboard side at a distance of 10 m or more. The ship was covered with mud and clouded with smoke and dust. It became impossible to shoot, since nothing was visible, but the attacks of the planes also stopped. The ship was not damaged, one anti-aircraft gunner was wounded. When repelling the raid, 29 100-mm and 176 45-mm shells were consumed.
At 19.27 the cruiser with the destroyer "Shaumyan" left Sevastopol and arrived in Tuapse at 12.30 on February 25. The cruiser was loaded with a marine corps company - 250 people and 25 tons of cargo, and on the same day he delivered it to Novorossiysk.
Quadruple 12, 7-mm anti-aircraft machine gun "Vickers" mounted on the bow raised tower of the main caliber
On February 26, at 3.00 am, the cruiser approached the Import Wharf and in the morning began accepting the 674th artillery anti-tank regiment - 500 fighters and commanders, 20 76-mm cannons, 3 kitchens, 20 tons of ammunition. At 15.15 with the destroyer "Shaumyan" we left Novorossiysk and at 04:00 on February 27 arrived in Sevastopol, the cruiser moored to the pier of Sukharnaya Balka.
On February 28, from 5.30 to 5.55, while at anchor, the Krasny Krym fired 60 shots to suppress two batteries 2 km west of Yukhara - Karalez. At 18.40 the cruiser with the destroyers "Shaumyan" and "Zheleznyakov" left Sevastopol for the Alushta region for fire support of the demonstrative landing. Until 19.10 the ships were covered by two I-153 fighters. At 22.50, a message was received from the commander of the 1st DTShch - due to the waves and wind, landing is impossible. The northeastern wind is 5 points, the wave is 3 points.
On February 29, at 1.34 in the Kuchuk-Uzen area, the cruiser was fired on from the coast from a distance of 10 kbt with anti-aircraft guns and machine-gun fire. At 1.45, he opened fire on the coast to suppress firing points in the Kuchuk-Uzen area. Then he maneuvered near the coast at low speed or stopped the course. At 2.47, he opened fire on the coastline and Alushta from a distance of 29 kbt. The enemy answered, but to no avail. The minesweepers and patrol boats were never able to land the troops. At 4.39 the cruiser and the destroyers laid down on the course of retreat to the daytime maneuvering area, developing 20 knots. On the afternoon of March 1, the ships were maneuvering at a 9-knot speed in the fog. At 14.20 a message came from the commander of the fleet: "I am awaiting instructions from the front about setting a target for shelling the ship." The cruiser maneuvered in the area from where it could arrive to shell Yalta, Alushta, Sudak, Feodosia and break away from the coast in darkness. At 18.00 the order of the fleet commander was received - to go to Poti. On March 2, at 13.00, the ships approached Poti, but by this time the wind increased to 9 points, the wave - 7, so they went to Batumi and at 16.20 the ship anchored in the Batumi roadstead. On March 3, he moved to Poti.
37-mm submachine guns 70-K of the cruiser "Krasny Kavkaz"
On March 9, having received 180 tons of shells and mines, at 18.30 the "Red Crimea", guarded by the destroyer "Svobodny", left Poti for Sevastopol. When turning to the Inkerman target, they found right on the bow of the submarine going across the course, only thanks to the measures taken, the collision was prevented. At 1.30 on March 11, the ships arrived in Sevastopol, at 4.00 the cruiser moored at the 1st unloading pier and began unloading. At 20.00, while guarding the Shaumyan destroyer, the cruiser left Sevastopol with 246 wounded and four bodies of 305-mm guns for the Paris Commune battleship on board. For loading and placing guns (total weight 208 tons), special keel blocks and attachments were made by the cruiser personnel. On March 12, at 19.45, the ships arrived in Poti, and the next day the trunks were unloaded.
On March 15 and 16, 165 tons of ammunition, 20 tons of food and a special unit of barrage balloons were loaded onto the ship: 150 balloons (22, 5 tons) and 293 fighters and commander.
On March 16 at 17.40 the cruiser with the destroyer Nezamozhnik left Poti for Sevastopol, escorting the tankers Sergo and Peredovik. On March 18, the convoy was attacked 11 times by bombers and once by torpedo bombers. The ships fired intense anti-aircraft fire. A total of 50 bombs were dropped on ships and transports, but none of them hit the target. Four bombs fell 20 meters from the starboard side of the cruiser, but did not cause damage. When repelling attacks, the cruiser's anti-aircraft gunners fired 116 100-mm and 196 45-mm shells.
On March 19, at 1.30, I arrived in Sevastopol, at the entrance to the base, to diverge from the submarine, I gave the fullest back and left rudder. Four barrels of 305-mm guns were loaded onto the cruiser. At 20.30 with the destroyer Nezamozhnik, the cruiser left Sevastopol for Poti, where it arrived at 18.30 on March 20.
On March 24, the cruiser, accompanied by the destroyer Nezamozhnik, moved from Poti to Batumi, where on the 25th it got up for repairs.
On April 23, Krasny Krym, having received 105 tons of ammunition at 18.35 and escorting the Boiky and Zheleznyakov destroyers, left Poti for Novorossiysk, where it arrived on April 24 at 6.45 and moored at the Elevatornaya pier and began unloading ammunition. During the day, there were three raids on the base in groups of two Ju-88s. Every time heavy fire was opened, the planes dropped bombs outside the city and left. The cruiser used 15 100-mm and 25 45-mm shells. On the same day, having accepted 1750 people from the marching companies "Red Crimea", accompanied by the destroyers "Boyky" and "Vigilant", at 19.15 he left for Sevastopol.
On April 26 at 11.40 the cruiser arrived in Sevastopol, at the entrance to the bay it was fired upon by enemy artillery, the shells fell 40-60 m from the side. The ship moored at Sukharnaya Balka and dropped the fighters. Having received a cavalry unit, 45 wounded, as well as employees of the headquarters, at 20.42 the cruiser with the destroyers "Boyky", "Vigilant" and "Smart" left Sevastopol for Novorossiysk. On April 27, 12.05, he arrived in Novorossiysk, moored at the Elevatornaya pier, unloaded the cavalrymen and the wounded, and began accepting the cargo and marching reinforcements of 1,200 people. At 23.20 with the destroyers "Vigilant" and "Savvy" went to Sevastopol. On April 29, at 3.40, the ships arrived in Sevastopol, delivering 1,780 marching reinforcements, 25 tons of ammunition, 16 torpedoes and 265 depth charges. The cruiser moored at Sukharnaya Balka, unloaded cargo and replenishment and received 44 wounded, 67 command personnel and 35 family members of command personnel. At 21.25 "Red Crimea" with the leader "Tashkent", destroyers "Vigilant" and "Savvy" left Sevastopol and arrived in Batumi exactly one day later.
In total, during the period 22.6.41 to 1.5.42, while repelling aviation attacks, it used up 1336 100-mm and 2288 45-mm shells.
On May 6, "Krasny Krym", guarded by three torpedo boats, one patrol boat and two I-153 aircraft, the cruiser moved from Batumi to Poti.
On May 8, the enemy launched an offensive against Sevastopol. The commander-in-chief of the North Caucasian direction ordered the commander of the fleet: "… The cruiser" Red Crimea "after loading with two destroyers no later than May 10 to leave Novorossiysk for Sevastopol" … ". On May 11 at 4:25 pm the cruiser with the destroyers Dzerzhinsky and Nezamozhnik left Poti and on May 12 at 7:05 am the ships arrived in Novorossiysk. Having accepted replenishment for the Primorsky army, they left for Sevastopol at 20.00. On May 13, in the fog, the ships approached the entrance point of fairway No. 3 and at 24.00 stopped the vehicles until visibility improved.
The former fleet commander wrote in his diary: “May 14th. It is a hard day today, such difficult information, and there is still fog, it has been standing all day, only by 6 pm the KR "KKr" managed to enter the base from 2000 march, with ammunition and products. At the entrance, the cruiser was heavily bombarded with artillery fire …”.
On May 14 at 19.50 "Krasny Krym" and "Nezamozhnik" entered the Main Base, delivering 2,126 soldiers and commanders and 80 tons of ammunition. ("Dzerzhinsky" at 11.32 was sent to search for a minesweeper that met the detachment, but due to an error in the reckoning, it hit a defensive minefield, was blown up by a mine at 12.27 and died.) Because of the fog, the cruiser, like other ships that arrived in Sevastopol, could not leave the bay until May 19.
On May 19-20, the cruiser, having taken 473 wounded with the destroyer Nezamozhnik, moved from Sevastopol to Tuapse, and then to Poti.
On May 26, the ship moved from Poti to Batumi.
On June 1, the "Red Crimea" with the destroyers "Savvy" and "Svobodny" arrived in Novorossiysk. On June 2, having accepted marching companies, weapons, ammunition and food, the ships left Novorossiysk at 19.18 and on June 3 at 23.24 arrived in Sevastopol. F. S. Oktyabrsky wrote in his diary: "Great: the cruiser" Red Crimea "arrived at the GB at about 00 h …". On June 4, accepting 275 wounded and 1998 evacuated at 2.00 am, the ships left Sevastopol and at 6.25 on June 5 arrived in Tuapse, and then moved to Poti, and on June 6 - to Batumi.
In 1942, the "Red Crimea" more often than other ships of the squadron was involved in the transportation of military reinforcements and cargo to the blockaded Sevastopol - from February to May, it broke through to the Main Base seven times.
On June 18, 1942, by order of the People's Commissar of the Navy No. 137, the cruiser Krasny Krym was awarded the rank of Guards.
On June 20, the cruiser arrived in Poti, and the next day at 19.25 left Poti and at 05.10 on 22 June came to Tuapse for the next campaign to Sevastopol. However, it became clear to the command of the fleet that the cruisers would not be able to break through into the besieged city.
On June 25-26, the ship moved from Tuapse to Batumi.
On July 15, 1942, the Red Crimea became part of the newly formed cruiser brigade.
"Red Crimea" in a military campaign, 1942
On July 26, on the Day of the Navy, Rear Admiral N. E. Basisty presented the ship with a guards flag. The flag was accepted by the commander of the ship, Captain 1st Rank A. I. Zubkov.
At the end of July 1942, German troops launched an offensive in the North Caucasus. There was a threat of a breakthrough by the 17th German army to the Black Sea in the Novorossiysk region. The evacuation of the city began.
On August 5, "Krasny Krym" guarded the destroyer "Nezamozhnik" at 17.10 left Batumi and on August 6 at 6.42 arrived in Novorossiysk to evacuate the families of command personnel, party and Soviet workers and valuables. On the same day, having received 2600 people, at 19.35 he left for Batumi, where he arrived on August 7 at 10.27.
On August 8, the cruiser at 13.50 with the destroyer Nezamozhnik again left Batumi for Novorossiysk. On August 9, at 5.05 am, I arrived in Novorossiysk and, having accepted the evacuees and valuable cargo, delivered them to Batumi.
On August 12, at 21.05, the cruiser arrived from Batumi to Novorossiysk with the Nezamozhnik destroyer and three SKA. On August 13 at 0.15 the ships left Novorossiysk for Tuapse with units of the 32nd Guards Rifle Division. At 4.45 they arrived in Tuapse, and after unloading they left for Poti.
On August 16, the "Red Crimea" with the destroyer "Nezamozhnik" moved to Batumi - Novorossiysk. On August 17, the cruiser delivered 630 servicemen, 1,020 evacuees, 60 tons of valuable cargo from Novorossiysk to Batumi.
On August 25, the "Red Crimea", guarded by the destroyer "Savvy", crossed Batumi - Poti. In the period from August 28 to October 6, 1942, the cruiser underwent maintenance.
On October 6, after completing the repairs, the cruiser, accompanied by the destroyers "Soobrazitelny" and "Boyky", moved from Poti to Batumi. October 13 "Red Crimea" went out on a measured mile. On October 19, at 7:00 am, guarded by the destroyer "Merciless", the cruiser left Batumi to determine radio deviation, and at 18.10 arrived in Poti.
In mid-October 1942, enemy forces launched an offensive in the Tuapse region. October 21 "Red Crimea" with the destroyers "Merciless" and "Soobrazitelny" delivered from Poti to Tuas 3000 soldiers, 11 guns and 39 mortars of the 8th Guards Brigade and 350 soldiers and 8 mortars of the 10th Rifle Brigade. Coming out of Poti, on the outer roadstead they found an enemy seaplane and opened fire on it.
On October 22, the ships returned to Poti, and the next day the cruiser with the "Soobrazitelny" sailed to Batumi - Poti.
December 1, "Red Crimea" moved from Poti to Batumi, and the next day, accompanied by the destroyer "Nezamozhnik" in Tuapse, delivering parts of the 9th mountain rifle division. On December 3, the ships returned to Batumi.
"Red Crimea" in one of the ports of the Caucasian coast, 1943
The firing 130-mm stern gun of the cruiser "Red Crimea", 1943. Right in the foreground - a 100-mm gun mount Minizini
"Red Crimea" in Poti, August 1943
"Red Crimea", 1944
As part of the cover detachment of the cruiser "Krasny Kavkaz" (the flag of the squadron commander L. A. Vladimirsky), the "Red Crimea" leader "Kharkov", the destroyers "Merciless" and "Savvy" participated in the landing operation in the South Ozereyka area. On February 3, 1943, the Red Crimea left Batumi at 6.10 am and 20 minutes later entered the wake of the Red Caucasus. The detachment lay down on a course of 295 °, so that, moving to the west, disorient the enemy, the speed of 18 knots. At 18.05 the detachment turned on a course of 24 ° - to the area of operation. At 22.55 the detachment lay down on a course leading to a combat tack. "Red Crimea" has established contact with the spotter aircraft. At 0.12 on February 4, i.e. 48 minutes before the opening of fire, Vice Admiral Vladimirsky received a cipher telegram from the landing commander Rear Admiral Basisty with a request to postpone firing for 1.5 hours due to the delay in the landing detachment. The cruisers and destroyers turned south and maneuvered to approach the landing area.
The spotter plane was notified of the postponement of the firing, but did not go to base, but continued to fly until 2.09, after which it left, having consumed fuel.
On February 4, at 2.16, the detachment approached the landing area. The ships lay down on a combat course, a course of 9 knots. At 2.35 (3 minutes after the flagship) "Red Crimea", having three reliable observations, opened fire on Ozereyka. The fire was directed across the squares, without adjustment. Having spent 598 130-mm and 200 100-mm shells, at 3.05 he ceased fire. The cruisers and the leader lay down on the course of retreat more seaward to the rendezvous point with the destroyers. At 7.30 they were joined by "Savvy" and "Merciless" and entered the guard. Due to a strong storm, the detachment did not enter Batumi at night, but maneuvered off the coast of Turkey. On February 5 at 10.50, the "Red Crimea" arrived in Batumi and moored to the pier.
"Krasny Kavkaz" sets up a smoke screen with the help of "Korshun" smoke equipment
On March 11, with the destroyers Boyky and Merciless, he crossed from Batumi to Poti.
On April 14-15, with the destroyers Boykiy, Ruthless and Savvy, he crossed from Poti to Batumi.
On April 8, 1944 A. I. Zubkov was appointed commander of the cruiser "Murmansk" transferred to the USA on account of reparations. PA Melnikov, who had previously commanded a destroyer battalion, became the commander of the "Red Crimea".
May 9, 1944 moved from Batumi to Poti, guarded by destroyers Zheleznyakov, Nezamozhnik, SKR Storm, BTShchit, 14 SKA, 4 MBR-2 aircraft.
From May 15 to August 17, 1944, a scheduled overhaul took place in Poti. At the same time, the method of incomplete drydocking in a 5000-ton dock was applied. The length of the ship's bow console was 33.6 m, the trim angle of the floating dock was 3 °. The cruiser in the dock was visited by the People's Commissar of the Navy, Admiral N. G. Kuznetsov.
In November 1944, the squadron was preparing to relocate to Sevastopol. "Red Crimea" was included in the 1st detachment.
"Red Crimea" at the head of the fleet returns to Sevastopol, November 1944
The silhouette of the battleship "Paris Commune" is visible in the background.
On November 4 at 9.00 the cruiser left Poti together with the battleship Sevastopol, guarding the destroyers Nezamozhnik, Zheleznyakov Flying, Light, Dexterous and 8 BO boats, detachment speed 16 knots. On November 5 at 8:00 am, two cruisers and three destroyers joined the 2nd detachment. At 8.50 on the flagship the signal "Red Crimea" was raised to be in charge. " The cruiser bypassed the battleship at full speed on the right and became the head of the squadron. At 12:50 pm, the cruiser's bow 100-mm mount fired its first salute shot, and at 12:52 pm, it entered the base and at 13.07 it stood on the barrel.
During the Great Patriotic War, the "Red Crimea" participated in almost all operations of the Black Sea Fleet and made more cruises than other cruisers. However, for all the time he did not receive a single serious damage comparable to the damage of other cruisers of both the Black Sea and Baltic Fleets. Perhaps this was the result of military luck, but most likely skill
"Red Crimea" at the parade in Sevastopol, a post-war photo of the commander and excellent training of the entire crew of the ship.
January 12, 1949 "Red Crimea" was assigned to light cruisers, on May 31, 1949 transferred to the Black Sea Fleet training ships detachment. On April 8, 1953, she was decommissioned and reclassified as a training cruiser. From June 1956 to June 1957, the cruiser accommodated the personnel of the Special Purpose Expedition (EON) to raise the battleship Novorossiysk. The cruiser was stationed in the Sevastopol Bay near the coast, opposite the Ushakovskaya gully on the Korabelnaya side. It was connected to the shore (through the floating station) by a floating pier.
On May 7, 1957, he was disarmed and reorganized first into the SM, then the OS. Since March 11, 1958 - PKZ. July 7, 1959 excluded from the lists of the fleet in connection with the transfer to the OFI.
Practical training of torpedoists in the "Red Caucasus". Post-war photo
Boom crane for lifting seaplanes from the water
On June 30, 1970, the cruiser's guards flag was raised on the large anti-submarine ship, project 61 "Red Crimea", which on October 20, 1970 became part of the KChF.
Commanders: to 1 p Polushkin (2326.11.1915), to 1 p Veselago (26.11.1915 -31.10.1916), to 1 p Saltanov (31.10.1916 -?), A. A. Kuznetsov - (1929-1930 ???, I. S. Yumashev - (2.1932 -12.1933), to 2 p M. Z. Moskalenko (12.1933 -11.1935), to 2 p F. S. Markov (1935 -?), To 2 p, to 1 p A. I Zubkov (9.1940 - 16.4.1944), to the 1st r P. A. Melnikov (16.4.1944 - 9.5.1945).
"Red Crimea" in Sevastopol, 1950. In the background is the battleship "Paris Commune"
"Red Crimea" in Sevastopol, 1955
