The extent of the Kirov class's dependence on Italian cruiser designs remains a matter of debate. Soviet interest in Italian naval work is nevertheless explicit. Italy and Germany are described as major technological trading partners, alongside purchases from Britain, Japan, and the United States. In the 1920s and 1930s, political hostility could coexist with sales of equipment and technical knowledge. Treating the Soviet Union as wholly isolated would therefore miss part of its naval development.
Notable Point · 1:34:37-1:35:29
Political hostility did not end Soviet naval technology purchases
Soviet naval development included purchases and design study across politically hostile borders.