Russia's second scouting division lacked its own admiral, leaving another coordination burden likely to fall on Rozhestvensky's staff. The low-freeboard battleship Navarin was poorly suited to the ocean passage and modern fleet action. Coastal-defence ships were sent on an 18,000-mile expedition despite being designed for a very different environment. Sissoi Veliky had spent years under repair and is described as nearly a permanent resident of the yard. These additions enlarged the order of battle while doing little to solve the missing scouting leadership, escort, speed, and readiness problems.
Notable Point · 1:27:19-1:30:14
Russia sent scouting gaps and yard-bound ships to sea
A scouting division without an admiral and ships unsuited to ocean deployment added responsibilities and drag without repairing the fleet's real weaknesses.