The Second Pacific Squadron reaches Malacca in 1944

What if the Second Pacific Squadron appeared near the Strait of Malacca in December 1944?

The ships might provide bombardment support after the Allies secured and briefed their crews, but their Imperial Russian loyalties would create difficult political problems.

The squadron would arrive near Japanese-held territory with Imperial Russian crews who knew nothing of the Soviet Union or the Second World War. If Allied commanders gained control, they would first need to bring the ships into harbor, disarm the crews, and explain the changed political world. The old battleships might then provide bombardment support. Mountbatten's aristocratic background and German-language skills could help initial contact with the officers. Rozhestvensky could also become a rallying figure for anti-Soviet Russians, although Stalin's control would make any attempt to exploit that politically complicated.