The late 1940s and 1950s Soviet Navy appears weak, especially beside returning British capital ships. Under Admiral Gorshkov in the 1960s through 1980s it developed a respected blue-water capability and several impressive skills. The post-Soviet trajectory appears downward, with corruption and cronyism widening the gap between theoretical and actual readiness. The larger pattern is cyclical: Russian naval performance rises under sustained professional leadership and falls quickly when funding and appointments deteriorate.
Notable Point · 1:24:14-1:26:39
How the Soviet and Russian Navy's reputation rose and fell
The fleet's reputation is traced from postwar weakness through Gorshkov's professional blue-water force and into post-Soviet decline.