Soviet and Russian-Built Destroyers in Service with Foreign Navies, 1904-2023 Volume 1: 1904 to the 1930s

Though generally underestimated in the West, the Soviet export of destroyers played a vital role in buildup of the navies of Moscow’s allies and satellites. Soviet and Russian-built Destroyers in service with foreign Navies 1904-2023, Volume 1 examines Russian and Soviet military ship exports between 1904 and the 1930s, including Japan, Finland, Indochina, Germany, Estonia and Peru and their little-known participation in a number of military confrontations.

The export of Soviet warships has gained modest attention compared with aircraft, tanks or SAMs, with coverage usually limited to the description of submarines and fast-attack boats exports. Soviet and Russian-built Destroyers in service with foreign Navies, 1904-2023 provides a detailed description of Soviet-made destroyers’ service in foreign navies, including the purchase negotiations and transfers, their participation in a number of confrontations, and subsequent modernisation of the vessels, and the careers of many of their commanding officers. This work also looks at the building of ships to Soviet and Russian designs in the shipyards of China and India.

Included in Soviet and Russian-built Destroyers in service with foreign Navies, 1904-2023 is the deeper background to the history of Russian shipbuilding, stretching back over two centuries to the early post-Napoleonic period, with Volume 1 focussing on exports and service between 1904 and the 1930s. This work is illustrated by many extremely rare photographs along with specially commissioned color artworks.