Russian Baltic Fleet

Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet sleeve ensign
Active	18 May 1703 –present
Allegiance	Tsardom of Russia (1703–1721)  Russian Empire (1721–1917)  Soviet Union (1917–1991)  Russian Federation (1991–present)
Branch	Russian navy
Role	Naval warfare Amphibious warfare
Size	55 Warships 2 Submarines
Part of	Russian Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ	Kaliningrad(HQ) Baltiysk Kronshtadt
Anniversaries	18 May
Engagements	Great Northern War Battle of Stäket Battle of Gangut Seven Years' War Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790) Russo-Turkish Wars Crimean War Russo-Japanese War World War I Russian Civil War World War II Crimean Crisis (2014)
Decorations	Order of the Red Banner (2x)
Commanders
Current commander	Vice Admiral Aleksandr Nosatov
Notable commanders	Rear Adm. Aleksandr Vladimirovich Razvozov Adm. Samuel Greig Cpt. Alexey Schastny Adm. Arseniy Golovko Ice Adm. Alexander Vekman Adm. Lev Galler Fleet Adm. Ivan Isakov Adm. Vladimir Yegorov Adm. Ivan Kapitanets

Great Northern War

The Baltic Fleet (Балтийский флот) is the Russian Federation Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union). The Fleet gained the '"Twice Red Banner"' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of the Order of the Red Banner. It is headquartered in Kaliningrad (formerly Königsberg in East Prussia of Imperial Germany), with its main base in Baltiysk and another base at Kronshtadt, in the Gulf of Finland. Established 18 May 1703, under Czar Peter the Great, the Fleet is the oldest Russian Navy formation.

The Imperial Russian Baltic Fleet was created during the Great Northern War at the initiative of Czar Peter the Great, who ordered the first ships for the Baltic Fleet to be constructed at Lodeynoye Pole in 1702 and 1703. The first commander was a recruited Dutch admiral, Cornelius Cruys, who in 1723 was succeeded by Count Fyodor Apraksin. In 1703, the main base of the fleet was established in Kronshtadt. One of the fleet's first actions was the taking of Shlisselburg. In 1701 Peter the Great established a special school, the School of Mathematics and Navigation (Russian: Школа математических и навигацких наук), situated in the Sukharev Tower in Moscow. As the territory to the west around the Gulf of Finland was acquired by Russia for a "warm-water" port giving access for its merchantmen and the buildup of a naval force, the city of St. Petersburg was built and developed an extensive port. The Fleet's base was moved to St. Petersburg and in 1752 it was renamed the Naval Cadet Corps. Today it is the St. Petersburg Naval Institute – Peter the Great Naval Corps.