Russian government ordered the building of warships by the British shipyard Armstrong Whitworth and Co. according to the magazine Mitteilungen aus dem Gebiete des Seewesens dated 1907 No. 10

An item referred to the magazine le Yacht reporting that the Russian government ordered the building by Messrs. Armstrong Whitworth and Co., Newcastle on Tyne of 3 battleships, 3 cruisers and 4-5 gunboats totally costs 200-225 million francs to be delivered between 1908-1919.