Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla
Encyclopedia
The Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla was formed by the Bolsheviks in October of 1918 for the purpose of defending the Lower Volga and northern parts of the Caspian Sea
from the Volunteer Army
. The so-called Military Fleet of the Astrakhan
Krai had been operating in this region since April 1918, which would be reinforced by torpedo boat
s and submarine
s from Kronstadt
in the fall of that year. The Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla had already consisted of 50 combat ships and 6 hydroplane
s. In December 1918, the flotilla was transferred under the command of the Caucasus-Caspian Front. In the early 1919, most of the Caspian Sea was under the control of the White Army and Allied intervention
(21 armed steamships and 13 torpedo boats). In May 1919, the Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla stormed ashore, captured a fort named Alexandrovsk, and then seized the Leila steamship, which carried General Anton Denikin's envoy General Alexei Grishin-Almazov (he was en route to Guryev to meet with Aleksandr Kolchak
). In May-June 1919, the Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla provided fire support to the units of the 10th and 11th Armies during the Tsaritsyn and Astrakhan defense. By this time, the flotilla had already had 3 cruiser
s (armed schooners), 6 destroyer
s, 3 torpedo boats, 4 submarines, 10 armed steamships, 7 fighters
, 4 floating batteries
etc.
On July 31 of 1919, the Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla was merged with the Volga Military Flotilla to form the Volga-Caspian Military Flotilla.
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
from the Volunteer Army
Volunteer Army
The Volunteer Army was an anti-Bolshevik army in South Russia during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1920....
. The so-called Military Fleet of the Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
Krai had been operating in this region since April 1918, which would be reinforced by torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s and submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s from Kronstadt
Kronstadt
Kronstadt , also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt |crown]]" and Stadt for "city"); is a municipal town in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg proper near the head of the Gulf of Finland. Population: It is also...
in the fall of that year. The Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla had already consisted of 50 combat ships and 6 hydroplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
s. In December 1918, the flotilla was transferred under the command of the Caucasus-Caspian Front. In the early 1919, most of the Caspian Sea was under the control of the White Army and Allied intervention
Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War
The Allied intervention was a multi-national military expedition launched in 1918 during World War I which continued into the Russian Civil War. Its operations included forces from 14 nations and were conducted over a vast territory...
(21 armed steamships and 13 torpedo boats). In May 1919, the Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla stormed ashore, captured a fort named Alexandrovsk, and then seized the Leila steamship, which carried General Anton Denikin's envoy General Alexei Grishin-Almazov (he was en route to Guryev to meet with Aleksandr Kolchak
Aleksandr Kolchak
Aleksandr Vasiliyevich Kolchak was a Russian naval commander, polar explorer and later - Supreme ruler . Supreme ruler of Russia , was recognized in this position by all the heads of the White movement, "De jure" - Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, "De facto" - Entente States...
). In May-June 1919, the Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla provided fire support to the units of the 10th and 11th Armies during the Tsaritsyn and Astrakhan defense. By this time, the flotilla had already had 3 cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s (armed schooners), 6 destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s, 3 torpedo boats, 4 submarines, 10 armed steamships, 7 fighters
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
, 4 floating batteries
Floating battery
A floating battery is a kind of armed watercraft, often improvised or experimental, which carries a heavy armament but has few other qualities as a warship.An early appearance was during the Great Siege of Gibraltar....
etc.
On July 31 of 1919, the Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla was merged with the Volga Military Flotilla to form the Volga-Caspian Military Flotilla.