The Great Victory is not only about impressive strategic operations and brilliant parades, it is also about the hard everyday work of millions of people. One of the unfamous war workers who forged Victory was the icebreaker "Krasin", whose crew selflessly participated in guiding northern convoys during the war.
On an eternal parking lot
The icebreaker Krasin is permanently moored at the Lieutenant Schmidt embankment in St. Petersburg. Since 2004, it has been the flagship of the historical ships of the Kaliningrad Museum of the World Ocean. Launched in England almost a century ago, it survived all the “storms and storms” of the 20th century - the First World War, the Civil War and the Second World War, participation in numerous Arctic expeditions, the most famous of which was the rescue of Italian balloonists led by General U. Nobile in 1928, the difficult 1990s, when the famous icebreaker-monument miraculously avoided being sold abroad. Now the “younger brother” of the legendary “Ermak” (the world’s first sea icebreaker) is rightfully considered one of the most unusual and popular St. Petersburg museums.
"Krasin" is one of the few surviving ships and vessels that took part in Arctic convoys. Despite the fact that after major repairs and modernization carried out in 1956 - 1960, its external appearance and internal layout changed dramatically, the memory of military events is carefully preserved on board the icebreaker-museum.
Mikhail Gavrilovich Markov (1904-1954). Captain of the icebreaker "Krasin" in 1942-1945. Photo: Rodina
"Krasin" goes to the front
The beginning of the war found the Krasin in the Far East, where it moved from the Baltic in 1934, participating in an expedition to rescue the Chelyuskinites. During this period, Krasin was one of the five most powerful domestic icebreakers. Since 1940, it was commanded by the experienced captain Mikhail Gavrilovich Markov.
The mobilization and armament of icebreakers had been included in the plans of the fleet command since the 1930s. A mobilization project (index 212) was also developed for Krasin. The icebreaker was to be equipped with three 130-mm guns, four 76.2-mm Lander cannons and two coaxial 12.7-mm DShK machine guns on the wings of the upper bridge1. But with the outbreak of the war, it became clear that the project would not be implemented, and the icebreaker was initially intended to play a very special role...
Until October 1941, Krasin continued to pilot ships in the ice. The difficult situation at the front forced the decision to return the icebreaker to the western sector of the Arctic across the Atlantic. The planned repairs and armament of the Krasin were supposed to be carried out in the United States. At the same time, they planned to lease the ship to the Americans for 12 months with a view to possibly using the Soviet icebreaker for landing troops in Greenland, where German reconnaissance and meteorological stations were located.
"Krasin" in an American port. The mounted 76.2 mm gun is clearly visible in the rear. 1942 Photo: Rodina
In the USA and UK
On November 4, 1941, the Krasin left Emma Bay in Chukotka and on the 14th, having withstood several storms, arrived in Seattle, where it remained for exactly a month. During this time, American engineers examined it. The lease decision was reversed. December 2 Captain M.G. Markov received instructions from the acting USSR Plenipotentiary Representative in Washington A.A. Gromyko to New York or Boston via the Panama Canal. Immediately before departure, the captain was invited to the British consul, who handed him a secret package indicating the route.
On January 2, 1942, the Krasin passed the Panama Canal. The next day, based on new orders, the icebreaker changed its route and headed to Baltimore, where it arrived on January 12. There, ongoing repairs were carried out on the Krasin, and weapons were installed (one 76.2 mm gun, six 12.7 mm machine guns and four 7.62 mm machine guns). Three new guns, 16 machine guns, 2 thousand shells and 220 thousand rounds of ammunition were taken on board as cargo for allied supplies.
The installation of weapons was completed on February 4. Four days later, the anti-magnetic protection device was tested, and the next day the Krasin arrived in Norfolk, where ammunition was loaded on board. On February 10, the icebreaker left Norfolk and headed towards New York. In Delaware Bay he was accompanied by an American submarine and an airship. On February 14, the Krasin arrived in Boston, from where the next day it left for Halifax, where it arrived on February 27.
On March 3, as part of a convoy of 21 ships (on March 8 it was joined by another), it set out in the direction of Great Britain. On March 15, the convoy in the Scottish Islands area split into two groups, one of which (consisting of 7 ships) headed to Glasgow, where it arrived on March 17.
At Glasgow, two more 76.2 mm (12 pound) guns were added to the armament. Foundations and towers for new guns and sockets for 20-mm Oerlikon machine guns were also made there. They were temporarily equipped with five Browning heavy machine guns and two Hotchkiss machine guns.
One of the first photographs of the future "Krasin". The tug "Vigilent" takes the Russian-built icebreaker "Svyatogor" out for testing, March 31, 1917.
“We were so happy to see Krasin in Murmansk!”
The Krasin headed to Murmansk as part of convoy PQ-15, which left Reykjavik on April 26, 1942, consisting of 23 transports and two icebreakers (Krasin and Montcalm). On May 2, near meridian 18 east longitude, the convoy was attacked by enemy torpedo bombers. Three vehicles were killed as a result of the attacks. The successful operation of the torpedo bombers is to a certain extent explained by the surprise of the first attack on the convoy. The next day, the ships were attacked by five aircraft, of which three were shot down by fire from escort ships and transports. It was difficult to fire due to the fact that the German pilots launched an attack only at an altitude of 50 m. The Polish submarine "Hawk", which had lagged behind the convoy, was mistaken for the enemy and attacked by a minesweeper and an escort destroyer, and then scuttled by its crew.
In his report, the captain of the icebreaker gave the following description of the events that took place on May 3: “At 1.35, on the horizon to the right, in addition to the continuously cruising two German reconnaissance aircraft, five heavy aircraft appeared low above the horizon. The aircraft entered the head of the convoy in strict formation and, approaching 45, began an attack. The lead destroyers began firing, and the convoy opened fire belatedly.They had to shoot through the ships, since the torpedo bombers were sailing at a very low altitude (about 50 m).
At 1.38 three steamers were torpedoed - all the lead ones, including the flagship and the one ahead of us. At the same time, a torpedo bomber burst into flames in the air and fell into the water next to the Cape Korso steamer it had torpedoed. A few seconds later, the steamer Cape Korso, from which it was still firing at the plane burning on the water, exploded and, standing vertically with its nose up, plunged into the sea. The icebreaker "Krasin", following the steamer Jutland, which, having been torpedoed, blocked our path, deviated to the right, towards the steamer Cape Korso that had just exploded and, passing between them, followed further...
According to our data, out of five torpedo bombers, three were shot down... The flagship Batavon, which received slight damage and continued to float with a slight trim (the tilt of the ship in the longitudinal plane) to the bow, after the crew was removed from it, was shot by the minesweepers of our escort.
The caravan, having straightened the line, moves on. The icebreaker "Krasin" is leading the fourth column. German reconnaissance planes periodically appear on the horizon, correcting our progress. Snow charges. The caravan consists of 22 ships. The escort consists of 14 units.
On May 4 at 1.00 there was another enemy attack. Due to poor visibility, it was impossible to determine the number of enemy aircraft. All the escort ships from the convoy fired not at visible aircraft, but in the directions from which the noise of the engines was coming. This was the enemy’s last and unsuccessful attack.”3.
Two days before the convoy ships arrived in Murmansk, they discovered a German submarine at the edge of the ice. The lead escort destroyer opened fire on her, and the minesweepers trailing the marching order dropped depth charges.
On May 6, 20 transports and two icebreakers arrived in Murmansk. The Krasin completed a difficult voyage across two oceans lasting 15,309 miles. The escorting cruiser Niger left the convoy on May 2.
“If only anyone knew how happy we were to see the Krasin in Murmansk! We were glad that the icebreaker returned to its homeland, we were proud that its crew did not lose their presence of mind in the most difficult and crucial hours,” wrote I.D. Papanin.
On June 19, the Krasin, as part of a convoy that also included the icebreaker Montcalm, the destroyer Kuibyshev and four English minesweepers, left for Arkhangelsk. On June 21, Krasin arrived in Severodvinsk, where it was to be re-equipped. Subsequently, "Krasin" was rearmed again. On February 15, 1943, the artillery armament of the Krasin was as follows: six American 76.2 mm guns; seven 20-mm Oerlikon automatic cannons; six 12.5 mm Browning machine guns; six 7.32 mm Colt machine guns4. Until the fall of 1943, "Krasin" worked in the North. Its main task was to conduct internal convoys in the ice, on the ships of which various cargoes and personnel of the polar stations of the Main Northern Sea Route were delivered, which did not stop their difficult work even during the war years.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Rear Admiral Ivan Dmitrievich Papanin (1894-1986). Head of the Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route in 1939-1946.
Against "Admiral Scheer"
In August 1942, the Krasin and the ships accompanying it almost became victims of the German “pocket battleship” (a type of ship that allowed Germany to use them to bypass the restrictions of the Versailles-Washington system) Admiral Scheer. During this period, after the defeat of convoy PQ-17, the movement of allied convoys temporarily ceased. The Kriegsmarine command used this break to conduct an operation code-named “Wunderland” (“Wonderland”), the essence of which was an attack on Soviet sea communications in the Kara Sea by forces of large surface ships and submarines. An important role in it was assigned to "Admiral Scheer", whose commander was instructed to attack convoys and destroy the structures of polar ports, acting on the shipping routes between Novaya Zemlya and the Vilkitsky Strait. As a result, the main “achievements” of the raider were the sinking of the weakly armed icebreaker steamer “Alexander Sibiryakov” on August 25, 1942 and the shelling of the port of Dikson two days later. After this, the operation was curtailed.
On August 19, "Krasin" led a caravan of 8 transports from Dikson to the east. The order for this was given by the head of the Main Northern Sea Route I.D. Papanin precisely because of the fear of an attack on the port by Admiral Sher. On August 20, a reconnaissance plane from a German ship was seen on Soviet ships stationed at that moment north of Kravkova Island. The pilot was unable to see them due to thick fog. The next day, the fog saved them again in the area of Belukha Island. The plane appeared several more times, but due to weather conditions it was unable to detect the Krasinsky convoy, and on August 25 it suffered a serious accident and stopped flights.
Emergency on the icebreaker "Krasin" in the East Siberian Sea. Photo: RIA
On ice guides
Another dangerous and difficult task for the Krasin and other icebreakers was the withdrawal of 42 ships from the Kara Sea to the White Sea (including 9 transports that were supposed to go to the Far East, but were unable to do so due to difficult ice conditions). In addition to the Arctic ice, the situation was complicated by active enemy actions, unsatisfactory communications and inconsistency in the actions of the leadership of the Main Northern Sea Route and the command of the White Sea Military Flotilla2. From October 6 to October 31, 1942, eight convoys were sent from the port of Dikson. “By the departure of the last convoy, the entire northern part of the Kara Sea was covered with young ice, the thickness of which in the area of Dikson Island - Bely Island reached 20-25 centimeters. Due to the appearance of heavy ice to the west of Yugorsky Shar Ave., some of the transports and icebreakers had to lead them out of the strait back to the east into the Kara Sea and lead them west through the wider Kara Gate Avenue"5. Icebreakers took up to 30 ships and vessels from the Kara Sea to the island of Kolguev from November 4 to December 3, 1942. From Kolguev their path lay in the Dvina Bay. On December 6, "Krasin" together with the famous ice cutter "F. Litke" (during the war - SKR-18) brought the last convoy to the Dvina Bay6. The operation was not without losses (in particular, the ship "Shchors" was hit by a mine and sank, and the icebreaker "Mikoyan" was damaged by an explosion), but the task of saving the ships was solved. And it was “Krasin” who played a huge role in this.
On October 21, 1943, Krasin, like a number of other icebreakers, was transferred to the Pacific Fleet. Arriving in Vladivostok, he completed his circumnavigation of the world, which lasted 885 days. 16 participants in the transition were awarded military awards. I.D. Papanin wrote after the war in his memoirs: “The passage of the Krasin added a new bright chapter to the biography of this famous icebreaker.”
During the navigation of 1943-1944. (winter - spring) "Krasin" together with the icebreaker "Mikoyan" worked in the La Perouse Strait to escort ships to Sovetskaya Gavan, Nagaevo and Vanina bays. In total, they carried out 367 transport vessels. In 1944, "Krasin" worked in the Sea of Okhotsk, participating in the rescue of the ships "Belorussia", "Manych" and "Msta".
The Northern Sea Route played a colossal role during the Great Patriotic War, becoming the most important transport route of the USSR. Hard work over many years naturally took its toll on the condition of the icebreaker. The repair was carried out twice - at Dalzavod in Vladivostok, and then in the USA. In September 1945, "Krasin" was disarmed in Vladivostok. For the icebreaker, which had been in service for almost 30 years (which is a considerable period), as well as for the entire country, peaceful life began.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Russia was a recognized leader in the development of the Arctic Ocean. Extensive trade routes, vast undeveloped territories washed by the northern seas and polar expeditions - all this required the development of maritime transport capable of coping with harsh Arctic conditions and ensuring the implementation of tasks for the development of the Russian north. It is for this reason that an icebreaker fleet appears in Russia. For half a century, the first-born of the Russian icebreaker fleet, Ermak and Svyatogor, were the most powerful ships of this class in the world. Svyatogor, which would later be renamed Krasin, improved the design of the first Russian icebreaker Ermak and determined the general design for several decades line in the development of domestic icebreaker building. Over almost 70 years of his work, he will write down many historical milestones in his logbook - flooding, and then rising from the bottom of the sea; rescuing Umberto Nobile's Arctic expedition and seeing off Allied convoys during World War II; passage through the northern route to America and an 885-day circumnavigation of the world. And in 1980, the icebreaker "Krasin", having become permanently moored in Leningrad, became a museum ship, which is still in operation today...
The icebreaker "Krasin" during construction was named "Svyatogor". By the end of the first decade of the new twentieth century, one Arctic Russian icebreaker "Ermak" is becoming insufficient to support work in the Arctic. For a long time, Ermak had no equal among icebreakers in terms of strength and power. And in 1911 - 1912, on the initiative of the commander of the Baltic Fleet, Vice Admiral N. O. Essen, the question of the need to create a second icebreaker of the same type was raised. At the same time, technical specifications for the construction of the vessel were also developed, but the high project cost did not allow the leadership of the Maritime Ministry to place this order. However, at the beginning of January 1916, Russia returned to this issue and it was decided to build an icebreaker with three propellers and a power of 10 thousand hp, capable of breaking ice up to 2 meters thick, and in the same year a contract was signed with the English company Sir Armstrong. Whitworth and Co. The new icebreaker "Svyatogor" was built taking into account the operating experience of the "Ermak" and was somewhat superior to it in terms of tactical and technical data.
Work on the construction of the icebreaker was carried out at a rapid pace. On January 12, material for the keel was ordered, and by May a third of the hull’s mass had already been assembled, and drawings of the internal layout of the ship’s premises had been fully developed. Just a few months later, on August 3, the ship was launched, and two days later the icebreaker, escorted by eight destroyers, was towed from Newcastle to Middlesbrough, where steam engines began to be installed on it. On October 1, 1916, "Svyatogor" was included in the lists of the Russian Navy in the class of sea icebreakers, and on March 31, 1917, the St. Andrew's flag was raised on the icebreaker. "Svyatogor" was enlisted in the Arctic Ocean flotilla. In total, the construction, sea trials, acceptance procedures and commissioning of the new icebreaker took... a little more than a year. This was at the beginning of the 20th century.
Only a year passes and on August 1, 1918, the icebreaker "Svyatogor" is decided... to be sunk on the sea route to Arkhangelsk in order to block the interventionists' path to a port important for proletarian Russia. After some time, the British raise the Russian icebreaker, and it continues to perform its functions, but under the British flag.
In 1921, "Svyatogor" was bought by the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade of the RSFSR with the personal participation of Plenipotentiary Representative L.B. Krasin from the British and returned to service in the Russian Navy, and after 7 years it will be renamed in honor of Leonid Krasin
In 1928, the icebreaker Krasin became world famous - that year it took part in the rescue of the Arctic expedition of Umberto Nobile, who survived the disaster of the airship Italia. In 1928, an expedition of 16 people led by Umberto Nobile set off on a flight to the North Pole on a new airship, named after his homeland - “Italy”. The airship took off from Spitsbergen on May 11, 1928, flew over the pole and landed safely in Alaska. Then the crew conquered the North Pole and "Italy" set off on a reverse course, and on May 25, communication with the airship suddenly broke off. The whole world learned about what happened only 9 days later. The crew consisted of 16 people, among them there were two foreigners: Swedish geophysicist F. Malmgren and Czech physicist F. Beguonek. Ships flying the flags of different countries began to advance to the site of the tragedy through heavy ice, and planes with international crews on board took off. In total, at least one and a half thousand people took part in the rescue operation - nothing like this had ever happened in the Arctic. It was the first international rescue operation in human history, involving 18 ships and 21 aircraft from six countries. The Norwegian scientist, once a friend and like-minded person, and then a rival and ill-wisher of Nobile, Roald Amundsen, having learned about the disaster, immediately went to save the polar explorers. Unfortunately, the rescue expedition was not without casualties. Three Italian pilots died while returning to their homeland, and the French-Norwegian crew of the Latham-47 seaplane, with Roald Amundsen on board, also went missing. Nobile himself was taken out of the camp by the Swedish pilot Lundborg, who managed to freeze up. However, Lundborg's second flight was not so successful. The plane crashed, and the pilot himself was left to wait for help on a drifting ice floe. Lundborg was saved only two weeks later. The rest of the group was rescued by the crew of the icebreaker Krasin. In memory of that rescue expedition, part of the shell of the airship "Italia" by Umberto Nobile is stored on the icebreaker "Krasin"
Since the beginning of the war, icebreakers became warships, which were entrusted with the responsible task of providing convoy escort in ice conditions. We can judge the importance attached to the icebreaker fleet by at least the fact that Hitler promised to award the Iron Cross - Germany's highest award - to anyone who would sink or disable an icebreaker. However, the Soviet Union, which had the most powerful icebreaker fleet, solved the task assigned to it, and Nazi Germany never managed to disorganize either the convoy operations or the work of the Main Northern Sea Route. During the war, the icebreaker Krasin repeatedly escorted convoys with military cargo along the northern sea route. The most important convoy that was carried out thanks to the icebreaker was convoy PQ-15 - the largest of all convoys during the war. It included 26 transports.
After the war, Krasin underwent major repairs and modernization at the shipyards of the GDR. Its appearance is changing, now it becomes similar to its grandchildren - diesel-electric icebreakers of post-war construction. The Krasin operated as an icebreaker until the 1970s. Then, giving way to more modern ships, it continued to work as a power floating base for Arctic oil exploration expeditions of the Ministry of Geology on the islands of Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land. In the late 1980s, the Krasin was acquired by the All-Union Society "Znanie" and sent to Leningrad to continue serving in its long-deserved and honorable position as a museum ship. Now the icebreaker's parking place is Lieutenant Schmidt embankment, near the Mining Institute. Currently it is a branch of the Kaliningrad Museum of the World Ocean.
Icebreaker navigation bridge. From here the ship was controlled during all its many sea voyages.
Machine telegraph
Main compass located on the navigation bridge
Communication facilities on the navigation bridge. Numerous telephones complement the classic handsets
Let's go down to the lower rooms located on the lower decks
Chart room
Here the course is plotted and entries are made in the ship's log
Radio...
And their earlier predecessors
According to the guide, this interesting device was used to indicate the ship's course and watch schedule for illiterate sailors who could not read
The icebreaker Krasin has saved a huge number of people over the history of its existence; it came to the rescue precisely at the moment when everything seemed lost. It can rightfully be considered the symbol and pride of the navy.
History of creation
The icebreaker Mayak was built in England in 1899; it served for the benefit of Russia in the Arctic for a long time. But over time, it became clear that one such vessel was not enough to cope with all the work. In 1911, the question of creating a second icebreaker of the same type was raised. But since this required a large financial investment, the project was not immediately implemented.
A few years later, when it became necessary to keep in touch with Arkhangelsk and good sea vessels were needed, the project was remembered. But here, too, the idea of implementing the project was under threat, as opinions were divided. Some put forward their own idea, it was to create 2 icebreakers. Such a project was much cheaper, but leading shipbuilding experts said that the ships would not be able to cope with the thickness of the ice on the White Sea. Naval Minister Ivan Konstantinovich Grigorovich completely agreed with this; it was his last word that became decisive, and in January 1916 the project was approved.
The construction contract was concluded with the English company Sir Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. Construction work on the icebreaker proceeded at a rapid pace, and already on August 3, the most powerful icebreaker in terms of technology was launched. It was called “Svyatogor” in honor of the epic hero, and according to some sources in honor of the city of Arkhangelsk. The icebreaker was added to the list of the Russian Navy on October 1, 1916.
First tests
It was decided to bring the icebreaker to Arkhangelsk, where it will remain until the end of its days and will serve for the good of the Motherland. “Svyatogor” arrived at its destination, but events related to the civil war changed its future fate.
In the summer of 1918, British ships approached Arkhangelsk in large numbers. In order to block the path of English ships, it was decided to sink the Svyatogor and the icebreaking steamer Solovey Budimirovich at the mouth of the Northern Dvina. But this idea failed miserably, and the icebreaker ran aground. English troops managed to enter the city. And a few days later they raised the icebreaker from the bottom of the river. Since 1920, the icebreaker Svyatogor sailed under the British flag.
That same year, the icebreaking steamer Solovey Budimirovich crashed in the ice of the Kara Sea. There were more than 85 people on board, among them women and children - all of them were on the verge of death.
The Soviet government approached Great Britain about leasing the icebreaker Svyatogor. The first rescue operation of the icebreaker was led by the Norwegian Otto Sverdrup. In June 1920, an icebreaker brought a steamship out of 4-month ice captivity. All people were saved, and Svyatogor returned to the UK.
New name
The Russian government was actively negotiating with Great Britain about the return of the icebreaker to its homeland. Minister of Foreign Trade Leonid Borisovich Krasin made a great contribution to the successful development of events. In 1921, in August, the icebreaker returned to Russia.
After the death of Leonid Borisovich Krasin, it was decided to rename the ship, and since 1927 the icebreaker began to bear the name “Krasin”.
Rescue of Umberto Nobile's expedition
Beginning of the 20th century associated with a number of discoveries. Humanity began to use electricity for the first time, and the first airplanes and airships appeared. In 1928, an expedition led by Umberto Nobile set off on a flight to the North Pole on the airship Italia. The flight got off to a great start and the crew landed in Alaska after some time. After conquering the North Pole, the crew went home. But on May 25, the connection with the airship was suddenly lost. The world learned about what actually happened 9 days later.
Shortly before reaching Spitsbergen, the ship began to lose altitude, a gas leak occurred, and the airship began to descend. In a matter of seconds, a catastrophe occurred that shocked the whole world.
The stern of the airship hit the rocks and broke. Several crew members died on the spot. 9 people survived and were waiting for help. For 10 days they fought for life, and everyone tried to get in touch. Only 10 days later, on June 3, 1928, young mechanic Nikolai Schmidt picked up weak signals from the Central Arctic.
This is how the whole world learned about the tragedy. Later, the exact location of the drifting ice floe from the missing expedition was discovered. A large-scale rescue operation began. In the USSR, a rescue expedition was formed in a short time. In 1928, Krasin was in long-term mothballing, but tragic events forced the country's leadership to reconsider their plans. In 4 days, 7 hours and 45 minutes, the ship was equipped with everything necessary for the polar voyage. On July 12, the icebreaker was in place and the expedition members were rescued. This became a triumph, and the whole world learned about the icebreaker Krasin.
In 1928, on October 5, the world-famous icebreaker returned to Leningrad. The entire city came out to greet its heroes, all crew members were given awards, and the icebreaker was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
Icebreaker in the 40-50s
The icebreaker Krasin, after the triumphant expedition to rescue Umberto Nobile, made a great contribution to science. A whole program for studying the North was developed. In 1929, the icebreaker became the leader of the Kara sea expeditions.
During the Great Patriotic War, the icebreaker became a warship. It carried large loads and ammunition. The sailors performed heroically during convoy PQ-15. The icebreaker accompanied a caravan of 26 ships traveling from Reykjavik to Murmansk. But on the way they were attacked, the icebreaker courageously repelled all enemy attacks from the air, but unfortunately only 22 ships of the caravan reached Murmansk. Throughout the war, the icebreaker more than once accompanied important voyages, and thereby prevented Hitler from implementing his plans. Some sources say that Hitler promised to reward the one who sank the icebreaker Krasin with the highest award.
Icebreaker in the service of science
After World War II, the icebreaker, despite all its power, suffered damage. Therefore, it was decided to completely redesign it. Major renovations lasted from 1955 to 1960. And on April 1, 1972, it was decided to transfer the vessel to the Ministry of Geology for geological work in the North. In this regard, the ship was partially re-equipped, some parts were replaced, and additional power sources were installed. The icebreaker "Krasin" after all the changes moved to the class of research vessels.
Museum
At the end of 1980, the icebreaker Krasin, after many years of service, was transferred to the All-Union Society Znanie and sent to its “eternal berth”. But even here it remains to serve faithfully, but only as a museum ship.
The first museum exhibition was organized in 1995. Today, various exhibitions and excursions are held on the territory of the museum. Everyone will be able to get acquainted with the history of the famous icebreaker. The museum's exposition mainly consists of the crew's personal belongings, documents, and photographs. You are also allowed to touch many of the exhibits with your hands during the tour. If you're lucky, you might even see an icebreaker ghost. It usually lives in the engine room.
The icebreaker Krasin, oddly enough, stands opposite the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg, but at the same time is a branch of the Kaliningrad Museum of the World Ocean. This unique ship is one of the first icebreakers in the world, well preserved to this day. It personifies an entire era of conquest and exploration of the Arctic. Just think, it was launched on March 31, 1917. Next year the icebreaker will turn 98 years old.
Krasin is the farthest. In front of him are modern ships.
The most legendary event in the history of the icebreaker "Krasin" was the rescue of the Italian Umberto Nobile's expedition to the North Pole in 1928 near Spitsbergen. This event inscribed the name of the icebreaker in the history of polar expeditions. Further, “Krasin”, as expected, plied the Arctic Ocean, and during the Great Patriotic War participated in escorting convoys to the port of Murmansk. The icebreaker operated until 1989, after which it was recognized as a museum exhibit.
Icebreaker "Krasin" - museum in St. Petersburg Even now, the ship is capable of independent sailing, unlike the legendary cruiser Aurora, it has a captain and crew and a working propulsion system. The icebreaker "Krasin" went for repairs on September 22, 2014, at the same time as "", but was repaired much faster than the "Aurora" and is again accepting visitors.
Using the Krasin icebreaker for its intended purpose has long been unprofitable due to the fact that the ship’s equipment is outdated, its maintenance requires a team of 60 people, while similar modern diesel-type icebreakers require a team of 24 people.
Nowadays, everyone can visit the legendary ship on a guided tour.
How to get to the museum icebreaker "Krasin"
The ship is moored on the Lieutenant Schmidt embankment in the area of the 23rd line of Vasilievsky Island.
Walking distance from Vasileostrovskaya metro station is about 2 km.
Bus No. 1
Minibus K359B
Tickets can be purchased directly on board the icebreaker. It is better to find out the cost and schedule of excursions on the official website of the icebreaker “Krasin”.
Icebreaker Krasin gangway Virtual tour of the icebreaker "Krasin"
During the excursion, you will watch a historical film about the fate of the icebreaker "Krasin" and the legendary rescue of the Nobile expedition, a tour of the icebreaker's premises and a fascinating story about the principles of operation of icebreakers.
View from the captain's office, on the left is the building of the Mining Institute Let's start the tour from the wardroom. All the furniture in the wardroom is screwed to the floor, and the tables have high sides. All this was done with one single purpose, so that when rocking, the furniture would not fly apart and food from the plates would not spill directly onto the dining crew.
Wardroom campaign All icebreakers have a barrel-shaped bottom to avoid crushing the hull by ice, but this leads to the fact that in free water the icebreaker rocks many times more than a regular ship. In this regard, you cannot envy the crew of the icebreaker; to be honest, I did not know this.
Icebreakers break ice due to the weight of their hull; the icebreaker, as it were, jumps onto an ice floe and crushes the ice beneath it. With its normal weight, the Krasin icebreaker can break ice up to 1.20 m thick. If thicker ice needs to be broken, special tanks are filled with water to weigh down the vessel, water is pumped from the stern and transferred under pressure to the bow, which leads to additional rolling.
Therefore, all the furniture on the ship is adapted for life in conditions of high pitching.
Captain's office All items displayed in the captain's cabin are authentic. Only the captain of the ship had a separate bedroom, toilet and bathroom. The bed is equipped with high sides, but even the high sides did not help; in conditions of strong rolling, the captain had to sleep in the bathroom. Crew members were forced to tie themselves to their beds.
In 1920, the icebreaker Krasin was commanded by Captain Otto Sverdrup, the same captain who took part in the Norwegian Arctic expedition on the no less legendary ship, now stored in Oslo.
Captain's bedroom. The pipe is an intercom. After the captain's cabin, the inspection continues in the navigation room and on the bridge. There are many photographs of northern nature in the premises of the icebreaker. The ability to observe such scenes compensated the icebreaker crew for the difficult working conditions.
Polar romance During the excursion, children are allowed to pretend to be a captain and try to send an SOS signal using Morse code.
As the captain of the icebreaker Krasin The remaining controls of the icebreaker cannot be touched, since they are in working order. On the icebreaker they will show you the oldest intercom, which is just an acoustic tube - no electronics.
Instruments on an icebreaker They will tell you how they used to plot a course without GPS navigators and how they kept it. You will have the opportunity to walk on the wooden deck of an icebreaker and learn how to step over very high rapids.
According to safety rules, the icebreaker "Krasin" had two sets of boats on each side, capable of accommodating the entire crew, because at the time of disaster, the ship could have a strong list, which prevented the lowering of boats. Safety was excellent compared to the infamous Titanic.
A visit to the icebreaker “Krasin” is an interesting excursion into the history of Arctic exploration and the history of navigation, giving adults and children great pleasure. I recommend this excursion to parents of boys in particular.
Russia is at the origins of Arctic exploration. At the beginning of the 20th century, the domestic icebreaker fleet was born, which in our time is the most powerful in the world. Russian ships have made many Arctic voyages, making their way through the ice of the Arctic Ocean.
One of the most legendary vehicles of our icebreaker fleet is the icebreaker "Krasin", now at its eternal berth in St. Petersburg. The ship has an interesting museum that will interest not only connoisseurs of maritime themes, but also ordinary tourists.
First of all, “Krasin” is interesting for its history. The linear icebreaker was built at the British Newcastle shipyard. The customer was the government of the Russian Empire, and domestic engineers took an active part in the construction.
Initially, the ship was named “Svyatogor”. The icebreaker, considered the most powerful in the world, was launched in January 1917, when the tsarist government, which ordered the ship, was in its final weeks.
The Provisional Government already included the Svyatogor on the balance sheet of the Russian Fleet of the Arctic Ocean. After the October Revolution, the icebreaker was transferred to Arkhangelsk. When rumors arose about an English military corps approaching the city, the Bolsheviks decided to scuttle the ship in the Northern Dvina.
However, this did not stop the British from capturing Arkhangelsk. The British raised the Svyatogor and transferred it to their Norwegian base.
In 1921, People's Commissar of Foreign Trade Leonid Krasin managed to negotiate with the British on the ransom of Svyatogor. The ship was again delivered to Russia. After Krasin's death in 1926, it was decided to name the icebreaker after him.
One of the most glorious pages of “Krasin” was the rescue of the crew members of the airship “Italy” of the famous traveler Umberto Nobile. An Italian aircraft crashed in the Arctic ice. It seemed that the people were doomed, but a Russian icebreaker came to their aid. The Krasin picked up Nobile and his comrades from the ice and delivered them to the nearest port.
In the 30s, the icebreaker was a key link in ensuring reliable navigation in the Baltic and White Sea. In addition, the ship has repeatedly participated in scientific expeditions.
In 1934, the Krasin made its way to the Chelyuskinites who were captured in the ice; during wartime, the ship was an integral part of the famous polar convoy PQ-15.
For 35 years, the icebreaker held the lead in power and maneuverability in ice. The ship honorably carried out its northern watch until 1992, when the ship was withdrawn from the fleet and handed over to the authorities of St. Petersburg for the organization of a museum. In the same year, “Krasin” was given the status of a historical monument of federal significance.
In 1996, a large-scale reconstruction of the icebreaker was completed, and the ship went to its eternal mooring at the Lieutenant Schmidt embankment.
Nowadays, “Krasin” is a branch of the Museum of the World Ocean. Tourists should take into account that there is no free access to the icebreaker. Groups of 3 to 15 people are allowed on the ship. Children under 14 years of age must only be accompanied by an adult.
During the excursion, visitors will see the authentic furnishings of all rooms of the ship - the officer's, captain's cabins, scientific laboratory, wardroom, wheelhouse, captain's bridge. Guests will learn a lot about the history of the domestic icebreaker fleet, Arctic research, rescue operations, and the participation of icebreakers in the Second World War. In addition, tourists will be interested to know how polar sailors live during long expeditions, what they eat, and how they spend their free time.
A separate excursion is devoted to studying the Krasina engine room. Only persons over 14 years of age and holding a photocopy of their passport are allowed into this room. Tourists will see the “heart” of the icebreaker in the engine room - its incredibly powerful engine, which allows the ship to break through thick ice.
How to get there:
St. Petersburg, Vasilyevsky Island, Lieutenant Schmidt embankment, 23rd line