Mikhail Viktorov

Summary

Mikhail Vladimirovich Viktorov (Russian: Михаил Владимирович Викторов; December 24, 1893 – August 1, 1938) was a Russian military leader and Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Naval Forces from August 1937 to January 1938.

Mikhail Viktorov
Born(1893-12-24)December 24, 1893
Yaroslavl, Russian Empire
DiedAugust 1, 1938(1938-08-01) (aged 44)
Soviet Union
Allegiance Soviet Union
Service/branchImperial Russian Navy
Soviet Navy
Years of service1913–1937
RankFleet's Flag-officer of 1st Rank
Commands heldSoviet Navy
Soviet Hydrographic Office (1925–1926)
Battles/warsWorld War I, Russian Civil War
AwardsOrder of Saint Stanislaus
Order of Lenin
Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Star

Career edit

Born at Yaroslavl, Viktorov was the son of an officer and graduated from the Naval Academy with the gold medal as top cadet in 1913. During World War I he served with the Baltic Fleet and was navigating officer of the battleship Tsesarevich and fought in the Battle of Moon Sound.[1]

In the Civil War he joined the Bolsheviks and commanded the cruiser Oleg and subsequently the battleships Andrei Pervozvanny and Gangut. In 1921 he contributed to the suppression of the Kronstadt rebellion.

Between December 1924 and April 1926 he was named Chief of the Central Hydrographic Department of the USSR. From 1925 he commanded the Soviet Baltic Fleet and in 1932 was the founding commander of the Soviet Pacific Fleet.[2]

He became commander of the Soviet navy following the arrest of his predecessor. Viktorov was himself arrested at the end of 1937 and was shot in 1938. He was posthumously rehabilitated in 1956.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Публикации. Список офицерских чинов русского императорского флота". www.petergen.com. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  2. ^ Order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the personnel of the army No. 103. February 23, 1928. . - M .: Central Printing House of NKVM, 1928. - 1 p. - 400 copies
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Naval Forces of U.S.S.R
August 1937 - December 1937
Succeeded by
Pyotr Alexandrovich Smirnov (People's Commissar of the Soviet Navy, Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces)