Azov Flotilla

created in March 1920 during the Civil War. It included naval teams which had been formed earlier from observation and communication detachments in Mariupol’, Taganrog, and Temriuk established after the arrival of Soviet troops at the shores of the sea of Azov. In July 1920, the Azov flotilla included three mine layers, seven gunboats, six patrol ships, five destroyer launches, and seven floating batteries (all were reequipped fishing and port vessels). The flotilla commenced active fighting operations in July 1920 and played an important role in the defeat of General Wrangel’s armies. It was victorious over a White flotilla on July 9 at Krivaia Kosa (near Mariupol’), on August 19–24 at Kamyshevatskaia and Primorsko-Akhtarskaia in the liquidation of General Ulagai’s landing, and on September 15 at Obitochnaia Kosa (near Berdiansk). It was disbanded in April 1921.

The fleet was reestablished in July 1941 during the Great Patriotic War and continued to exist until October 1942. In June 1942 it included seven gunboats, seven motor torpedo boats, seven armored launches, four patrol ships, 12 minesweepers, 58 patrol launches, air units, and five battalions of marines. The flotilla was reestablished in February 1943, and in August 1943 it included two motor torpedo boats, 15 armored launches, three patrol launches, and eight minesweepers. Under the command of Rear Admiral S. G. Gorsh-kov, it participated in the Kerch-Feodosiia landing operation of 1941–42, the offensive of the troops of the southern front in August-September 1943 (landings in Taganrog, Mariupol’, Osipenko, and Taman’), in the Kerch-El’tigensk landing operation of 1943, and in the securing of the Kerch crossing in 1943–44. In April 1944 it was disbanded and formed the basis of the New Danube flotilla.