25 Facts About Nikolai Basistiy

Nikolai Basistiy rose to the rank of admiral and was commander of the Black Sea Fleet, in a career that spanned the First and Second World Wars, and the Russian Civil War.

Nikolai Basistiy was sent to serve as an advisor to the Spanish Republican Navy during the Spanish Civil War, and was decorated for his service.

Nikolai Basistiy served with distinction in the Black Sea during the Second World War, at first as commander of a cruiser, and then rising to the post of chief of staff, and for a time acting fleet commander.

Nikolai Basistiy saw action at many of the defensive operations during the sieges of Soviet Black Sea ports, and at the landing operations to force enemy invaders back.

Nikolai Basistiy wrote his memoirs, which were published shortly before his death in 1971.

Nikolai Basistiy entered the military with the outbreak of the First World War, graduating from the junker school in Sevastopol in 1915, and in 1916 entered the Black Sea Fleet's mine school.

Nikolai Basistiy was awarded the St George Medal and promoted to mine officer first class in autumn 1916.

Nikolai Basistiy continued in naval service during the Russian Revolution, being elected to the Zharkys ship committee in February 1917 and serving in the Workers' and Peasants' Red Fleet from 1918 onwards.

Nikolai Basistiy took part in the Russian Civil War, at first aboard the Zharky where he participated in the suppression of the Haidamaka rising in Odessa, and then as a signalman aboard the artillery barge Serezha, aroundNizhny Novgorod.

Nikolai Basistiy then served in the Caspian Flotilla, helping to suppress the anti-Bolshevik uprising in Astrakhan.

Nikolai Basistiy attended the Naval Academy, graduating in 1931 and from March 1931 to April 1932 worked as an adjunct in the Naval Academy.

From April 1932 to March 1934 Nikolai Basistiy was chief of staff of the minesweeping forces, and from March 1934 to October 1936 was chief of the combat training department at the Pacific Fleet headquarters.

Nikolai Basistiy then went to Spain from April 1937 to July 1938, during the Spanish Civil War, where he served as an adviser to the commander of the Spanish Republican Navy.

Nikolai Basistiy completed a course of studies at the Military Academy of the General Staff and from July 1938 to October 1939 was the Black Sea Fleet's chief of operations.

October 1939 Nikolai Basistiy took command of the cruiser Chervona Ukraina, and was her captain at the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Nikolai Basistiy was transferred to command the Black Sea Fleet's Light Squadron in November 1941, holding the post until July 1942.

Nikolai Basistiy was temporarily the fleet's chief of staff from April to May 1943, after which he once more commanded a squadron of the fleet.

Nikolai Basistiy was once more chief of staff of the fleet from November 1944 to November 1948, with a brief period from January to April 1945 when he was acting commander of the Black Sea Fleet.

Nikolai Basistiy was commander of the Black Sea Fleet from November 1948 to August 1951, after which he became First Deputy Naval Minister of the USSR, until April 1953.

Nikolai Basistiy's last posting was as Advisor to the Group of Inspectors General of the Ministry of Defence, from June 1958 to September 1960.

Nikolai Basistiy retired in September 1960, and in retirement wrote accounts of his service.

Nikolai Basistiy was awarded the Navy Cross from the United States of America in 1943.

Nikolai Basistiy died in Moscow on 20 October 1971, and was buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery.

The Soviet Navy planned to honour Nikolai Basistiy by naming an Udaloy II-class destroyer Admiral Nikolai Basistiy.

Nikolai Basistiy was laid down in 1991, but the dissolution of the Soviet Union later that year interrupted her building, and she was scrapped on the slipway in 1994.