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Okhotsk declared a military port – Day of the Pacific Fleet
Under the RF Navy Commander in Chief decree of April 15, 1999 the day of 21 May, 1731 was determined the date of the Pacific Fleet creation.
The conception of the Russian Fleet at the Far East dates back to the beginning of 18th century when navigators and shipwrights sent to Okhotsk by Peter I built on Kukhtuy River the first sea vessel – ‘Vostok’ boat.
On May 10 (21), 1731 by Senate decree Okhotsk was announced a military port, the base of Okhotsk military flotilla. The ships of Okhotsk port were the first active Navy detachment of Russia at the Far East in force. Okhotsk Navy was created to defend the Far East territories of the Russian Empire from Japanese, Chinese and Manchurian attacks, secure the sea trade ways and fisheries.
In 1849 Peter and Paul port on Kamchatka became the Navy’s military base; from 1855 it had been the town of Nikolayevsk-on-Amur; from 1871 – Vladivostok.
By the end of 19th century the Pacific squadron had been formed which based in Port-Artur.
After the defeat in Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905 the Russian naval forces at the Far East were dramatically limited. The Pacific squadron was transformed into Siberia military flotilla meant for coastal defense. The restoration of naval forces in Primorye (Maritime Territory) began only after 1917 Revolution and Civil War. In 1935 the Far East naval forces were renamed to the Pacific Fleet.
In 1930s the forces of Pacific Fleet took part in local conflicts: the Fleet aviation fought air battles with Japanese planes during the battles near Lake Khasan and Khalkyn Gol River.
During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 a part of ships and vessels of the Pacific Fleet were transferred to the Northern Fleet where it took place in sea battles. During the Soviet-Japanese War of 1945 certain parts of the Pacific Fleet in cooperation with the troops of the Far East front liberated North Korea and carried out South Sakhalin and Kurily landing operations.
In 1960-1980 the Pacific Fleet of the USSR had been surveying rocket submarine cruisers of strategic purpose, tracking aircraft carrier shock groups and atomic submarines; it represented the Soviet presence in Indian Ocean where the 8th operative squadron of the USSR Navy had been on service.
To date the Pacific Fleet is the operative and strategic formation of the Russian Navy; it maintains naval strategic nuclear forces ready for action; defends economic zones and regions of industrial activity; provides secure navigation, fulfills various international political actions.
The Russian Pacific Fleet as a part of the Russian Navy and Armed Forces provides military security of Russia in the Pacific Rim.
Lit.: Дюбкин В. Тихоокеанский флот России = Russian Pacific navy. Владивосток, 1997; Краснознамённый Тихоокеанский флот. М., 1973; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/tihookeanskiy_flot/index.html; Митичкин Н. С., Кулагин В. В., Муратов В. Н. Тихоокеанский флот России, 1731-2006 гг.: исторический очерк (к 275-летию). Владивосток, 2006; Музей Тихоокеанского флота: неофициальный сайт. Б. д. URL: http://museum-tof.narod.ru/index.html; Тихоокеанский флот. М., 1966; Тихоокеанский флот и Краснознамённая Амурская флотилия в разгроме империалистической Японии // Ачкасов В. И., Басов А. В., Сумин А. И. и др. Боевой путь Советского Военно-Морского Флота. М., 1988; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/vmf/11.html.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Memory of the Great Victory: [digital collection];
Pacific Ocean // Territory of Russia: [digital collection];
Булычёв И. Д. Путешествие по Восточной Сибири. Ч. 1: Якутская область, Охотский край. СПб., 1856;
Полное собрание законов Российской Империи. Собрание 1-е. Т. VIII (1728-1732). № 5753. СПб., 1830;
Таубе Г. Н. Последние дни Второй Тихоокеанской эскадры. СПб., 1907.