1877–1917
The format is: Name, launch year, place of construction (if foreign), commissioning fleet (BF = Baltic Fleet, BSF = Black Sea Fleet, CF = Caspian Flotilla, SF = Siberian Flotilla, POF = Pacific Ocean Fleet), fate = BU.
Note on official classification. First small ships with a mine or torpedo — (pole mines or Whitehead torpedoes) — appeared in the Russian Navy in 1877 during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). They were classified "minnyi kater", "минный катер" ("mine/torpedo launch"). One large seagoing ship, the Vzryv ("Взрыв", 1877, 160 tons) with torpedo armament was originally called "minnoye sudno", "минное судно" ("mine/torpedo vessel"). A large series of 133 20-30-ton ships followed in 1878; they were classified "minonoska", "minonosnaya lodka", "миноноска" (literally, "mine/torpedo boat"). It usually translates as "torpedo boat, 2nd class". Then came torpedo ships, which Russia had built or bought since 1880 and classified as "minonosets", "миноносец" (literally, "mine/torpedo carrier"). This designation includes relatively large ships. It therefore translates into English as either "torpedo boat 1st class" or "destroyer" depending on a displacement of more or less than 200 tons. Starting in 1907 and still used today, all sufficiently large torpedo armed ships are classified as EM (ЭМ), "eskadrennyi minonosets", "эскадренный миноносец" (literally, "squadron torpedo carrier"), which usually translates as "destroyer".
Main list
Sokol class (240–300 tons), 27 ships
Russia was the second nation, after Great Britain, to build torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs),Lyon p. 120 basing their first ones upon the Yarrow design. Sokol, which was built for Russia by Britain's Yarrow Shipbuilders, was laid down in 1894 and completed in January 1895; she was 190 feet long, displaced 220 tons, and attained a speed of over 30 knots during her trials.Lyon pp. 58 & 120 Sokol was followed by 26 similar TBDs built in Russian yards between 1896 and 1903. This first series of 'classic' ships were originally organized as torpedo boats ("minonosets"), then were later reclassified as destroyers ("eskadrennyi minonosets") in 1907. Pacific destroyers were built in Saint Petersburg, transported in sections by railway to Port Arthur and assembled. They subsequently participated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905; those that had escaped from Port Arthur later served in the Siberian Flotilla. Baltic destroyers participated in World War I, the Russian Civil War (1917–1923) and the Finnish Civil War (1918) as minesweepers and avisos. Black Sea destroyers also participated in World War I and the Russian Civil War.
During the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), Imperial Russian Navy destroyers were armed with 15-inch torpedoes and one 75 mm gun, as well as several 3-pounder QF guns. Combat experience during that war resulted in the Imperial Russian Navy switching to 18-inch torpedoes and two 75 mm guns for their destroyers after the war. ("Сокол") launched 1895, Yarrow, London. Baltic Fleet. – Renamed Prytkiy ("Прыткий") in 1902; she was fitted as a minesweeper in 1915, transferred to the Volga River and the Caspian Sea in 1918–1919, and broken up (BU) in 1922. Yastreb ("Ястреб", 1898, BF) – Prochnyi ("Прочный") 1902; she was reclassified as a minesweeper 1913, transferred to the Volga and the Caspian in 1918, BU in 1922 Korshun ("Коршун") launched 1898 Crichton, St. Petersburg. Baltic Fleet. Poslushnyi ("Послушный") 1902; reclassified as a minesweeper in 1913, handed over to the Finnish Red Army in 1918; she served in the Finnish Navy as Torpedo Boat S3 from 1918, returned to Soviet Russia in 1920, probably BU in 1925 Nyrok ("Нырок", 1898, BF) – Porazhayushchiy ("Поражающий"), an aviso in 1913; she was transferred to the Volga and the Caspian Sea in 1918, BU in 1925 Voron ("Ворон", 1899, BF) – Rezvyi ("Резвый") 1902, reclassified as a minesweeper in 1913, handed over to the Finnish Red Army in 1918; she served in the Finnish Navy as Torpedo Boat S4 from 1918, returned to Soviet Russia in 1920, probably BU in 1925 Gagara ("Гагара", 1899, BF) – Prozorlivyi ("Прозорливый") 1902, reclassified as a minesweeper in 1913, handed over to the Finnish Red Army in 1918; she served in the Finnish Navy as Torpedo Boat S2 from 1918 and was lost with all hands in a storm on October 4, 1925 Filin ("Филин", 1900, BF) – Retivyi ("Ретивый") 1902; she was reclassified as a minesweeper in 1913, transferred to the Volga and the Caspian Sea in 1918 and BU in 1922 Sova ("Сова", 1900, BF) – Ryanyi ("Рьяный") 1902, reclassified as a minesweeper in 1913, handed over to the Finnish Red Army in 1918, served in the Finnish Navy as Torpedo Boat S1 from 1918, decommissioned in 1927, sunk as target. Albatros ("Альбатрос", 1901, BF) – Podvizhnyi ("Подвижный") 1902, handed over to the Finnish Red Army in 1918, served in the Finnish Navy as Torpedo Boat S5; decommissioned in 1925 and sunk in 1944 Berkut ("Беркут", 1898, CF) – Pronzitel‘nyi ("Пронзительный") 1902, decommissioned in 1911 Krechet ("Кречет") launched 1898 Crichton, Turku., CF – Pylkiy ("Прыткий") 1902, hulked in 1911 Lebed‘ ("Лебедь", 1901, BSF) – became Strogiy ("Строгий") in 1902 and the Marti ("Марти") 1922, BU in 1929 Pelikan ("Пеликан", 1901, BSF) – Smetlivyi ("Сметливый") 1902, scuttled to avoid capture at Tsemes Bay on 18 June 1918 Pavlin ("Павлин", 1901, BSF) – became Svirepyi ("Свирепый") in 1902, the destroyer № 204 in 1918, Svirepyi ("Свирепый") in 1919 and Leitenant Schmidt ("Лейтенант Шмидт") in 1922, BU in 1927 Fazan ("Фазан", 1901, BSF) – Stremitel‘nyi ("Стремительный") in 1902; she was scuttled to avoid capture at Tsemes Bay on 18 June 1918 Kondor ("Кондор"), ex-Baklan ("Баклан", 1901, POF) – ("Решительный") 1902, captured by Japan in Chefoo (China) in 1904, renamed Akatsuki in 1905, participated in the Battle of Tsushima where she collided with a Japanese torpedo boat which sank, renamed Yamabiko in 1906; she was decommissioned in 1917 Bekas ("Бекас", 1901, POF) – Serdityi ("Сердитый") 1902, BU in 1923 Smelyi ("Смелый"), ex-Gorlitsa ("Горлица") (1902, POF) – BU in 1923 Skoryi ("Скорый"), ex-Perepel ("Перепел") (1903, POF) – BU in 1923 Statnyi ("Статный"), ex-Shchegol ("Щегол") (1903, POF) – BU in 1923 ("Стерегущий"), ex-Kulik ("Кулик") (1903, POF) – sunk in battle in 1904 (49 men were lost) Strashnyi ("Страшный", ex-Skvorets ("Скворец") (1903, POF) – On 13 April 1904 while returning from patrol, and attempting to re-enter Port Arthur, Strashnyi was suddenly engaged by Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) torpedo boat destroyers, and was sunk during the surface engagement; 59 crewmen were lost.Grant pp. 125, 126 Storozhevoy ("Сторожевой"), ex-Grach ("Грач") (1903, POF) – struck a mine and was scuttled in 1904 Sil‘nyi ("Сильный"), ex-Baklan ("Баклан"), ex Kondor ("Кондор") (1903, POF) – After successfully sinking the IJN block ship (aka fireship) Chiyo Maru with a torpedo,Grant p. 98 she duelled with IJN torpedo boat destroyers shortly afterwards, and was driven onto a sandbank on 27 March 1904.Grant p. 117 She was subsequently refloated by Japan in 1905, renamed Fumizuki; she was decommissioned in 1913 Stroynyi ("Стройный"), ex-Strizh ("Стриж") (1903, POF) – struck a mine in 1904 (2 men lost) Razyashchiy ("Разящий"), ex-Drozd ("Дрозд") (1903, POF) – struck a mine and was scuttled in 1904 Rastoropnyi ("Расторопный"), ex-Diatel ("Дятел") (1903, POF) – scuttled in 1904
Hǎi Lóng (海龙) class (ex-Chinese) (312 tons), 1 ship Leitenant Burakov (1898, Elbing (German Empire, now in modern northern Poland), ex-Chinese Hǎi Huā — 海華) – captured at the Taku Forts during the Boxer Rebellion (17 June 1900), renamed Taku ("Таку"), in 1901 – Leitenant Burakov ("Лейтенант Бураков"); she was the fastest Russian torpedo boat (33.6 kn) during the siege of Port Arthur; she served as an aviso. Badly damaged by a Japanese torpedo launch, she was scuttled by her crew in 1904.
Kit class (350 tons), 4 ships
Torpedo boats participated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. Three of them later served in the Siberian Flotilla; they were reclassified as destroyers in 1907 Kit ("Кит", 1899, Elbing POF) – Renamed Bditel‘nyi ("Бдительный") 1902; she struck a mine and was scuttled in 1904 Del‘fin ("Дельфин", 1899, Elbing, POF) – Besstrashnyi ("Бесстрашный") 1902; she was transferred to the Arctic Sea Flotilla in 1917 and BU in 1924 Skat ("Скат", 1899, Elbing, POF) – Besposhchadnyi ("Беспощадный") 1902, BU in 1923 Kasatka ("Касатка", 1900, Elbing, POF) – Besshumnyi ("Бесшумный") 1902, transferred to the Arctic Sea Flotilla in 1917, BU in 1924
Forel class (312/346 tons), 5 ships
Officially classified as torpedo boats, they participated in the Russo-Japanese War. Two later served in the Siberian and Arctic Flotillas. Forel ("Форель", 1900, Le Havre, POF) – Renamed Vnimatelnyi ("Внимательный") 1902, wrecked in 1904 Sterliad‘ ("Стерлядь", 1901, Le Havre, POF) – Vynoslivyi ("Выносливый") 1902, struck a mine in 1904 (12 men lost) Osiotr ("Осётр", 1901, Le Havre, POF) – Vnushitelnyi ("Внушительный") 1902, scuttled in 1904 Kefal ("Кефаль", 1901, Le Havre, POF) – Vlastnyi ("Властный") 1902, transferred to the Arctic Sea Flotilla 1917, BU in 1921 Losos ("Лосось", 1902, Le Havre, POF) – Grozovoi ("Грозовой") 1902, transferred to the Arctic Sea Flotilla 1917, BU in 1923–24
Som-class torpedo boat (350 tons), 1 ship Som ("Сом", 1899, Birkenhead, POF) – Boevoy ("Боевой") since 1902, sunk by Japanese torpedo destroyer in 1904
Buinyi class (350/450 tons), 10 ships
Two Pacific ships participated in the defence of Port Arthur in 1904; those destined for the Baltic (except for the uncompleted Vidnyi) were sent to the Far East and fought in the Battle of Tsushima (1905). The survivors were reclassified as destroyers in 1907. Originally named after various aquatic animals and fish, the Buinyi class were named after various "active" characteristics at the time of Tsushima, with all but one beginning with the Russian letter Б. Buinyi ("Буйный", "Riotous"), ex-Bychiok ("Бычёк", "Goby") (1901, BF) – scuttled in 1905 Boikiy ("Бойкий", "Jaunty"), ex-Akula ("Акула", "Shark") (1901, POF) – after the war she served with the Siberian Flotilla, BU in 1925 Burnyi ("Бурный", "Tumultuous "), ex-Makrel‘ ("Макрель", "Mackerel") (1901, POF) – wrecked and scuttled in 1904 Bystryi ("Быстрый", "Fast"), ex-Plotva ("Плотва", "Roach") (1901, BF) – scuttled in 1905 Bravyi ("Бравый", "Gallant" or "Dashing"), ex-Nalim ("Налим", "Burbot") (1901, BF) – after the war she served in the Siberian Flotilla; she was renamed the Anisimov ("Анисимов") in 1923, BU in 1925 Blestyashchiy ("Блестящий", "Brilliant"), ex-Okun‘ ("Окунь", "Perch") (1901, BF) – scuttled in 1905 (6 men lost) Bedovyi ("Бедовый", "Daring" or "Reckless"), ex-Keta ("Кета", "Chum") (1902, BF) – captured by Japan with the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian squadron, Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky in 1905; she was renamed the Satsuki and BU in 1922 Bodryi ("Бодрый", "Bouncy" or "Cheerful"), ex-Peskar‘ ("Пескарь", "Gudgeon") (1902, BF) – after the war she served with the Siberian Flotilla, BU in 1925 Bezuprechnyi ("Безупречный", "Irreproachable" or "Perfect"), ex-Paltus ("Палтус", "Halibut") (1902, BF) – sunk in battle in 1905 (73 men lost) Vidnyi ("Видный", "Prominent"), ex-Sig ("Сиг", "Whitefish") (1904, BF) – BU in 1925
Groznyi class / Project of 1903 (420 tons), 3 ships
Originally classified as torpedo boats. The first two were sent to the Far East and took part in the Battle of Tsushima in 1905. Groznyi ("Грозный", 1904, BF) – after the war she served in the Siberian Flotilla; she was classified as a destroyer in 1907, BU in 1925 Gromkiy ("Громкий", 1904, BF) – sunk in battle in 1905 (23 men lost) Gromiashchiy ("Громящий", 1904, BF) – classified as a destroyer in 1907, BU in 1925
/ "Z" and "Zh" class (350/440 tons), 9 ships
Classified as destroyers in 1907. Participated in World War I and in the Russian Civil War.