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Battleship "Novorossiysk"

Battleship "Novorossiysk" (until 1949 — the Italian "Giulio Cesare" / Giulio Cesare) — the flagship combat ship of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, launched in 1911 in Genoa, transferred to the USSR as reparations, and blown up in Sevastopol in 1955.

Overview

Built in Genoa in 1911 under the name "Giulio Cesare" (Julius Caesar), the dreadnought served in the First and Second World Wars as part of the Royal Italian Navy. After Italy's defeat in World War II, the ship was handed over to the Soviet Union as part of the reparations distribution.

On 3 February 1949, the ship received its Soviet crew in the Albanian port of Vlora; on 26 February it arrived in Sevastopol, and on 5 March it received its new name — "Novorossiysk". It became the most powerful combat ship of the Soviet Navy. Due to the lack of domestically produced ammunition for its 320-mm main-caliber guns, the USSR had to establish their special production, and also planned to fire nuclear charges from them. On 29 October 1955, the battleship was destroyed in Sevastopol Bay as a result of a sabotage explosion.

Key Details / Subtopics

  • Construction and service in Italy (1911–1948): a battleship of the "Conte di Cavour" type, launched in Genoa in 1911, participated in combat operations in the Mediterranean Sea under the Italian flag.
  • Transfer as reparations (1949): transferred to the Soviet fleet in Albania; on 5 March 1949 enrolled in the Black Sea Fleet under the name "Novorossiysk".
  • Combat power and special shells: it was the strongest ship of the Soviet fleet; for its 320-mm main-caliber artillery, the USSR developed special shell production, including nuclear ones.
  • Loss (1955): blown up by mines of Italian saboteurs of the 10th MAS Flotilla under the command of Valerio Borghese on 29 October 1955 in Sevastopol; 829 people died.