Soviet navy laying up aged vessels according to the Australia Station Intelligence Summary dated 1 June 1956

Gangut-class

Giulio Cesare. 

Drawing made by G.J. Frans Naerebout, in Op de Lange Deining written by G.A.J. Bovens

An item reported the reduction of the Soviet armed forces and made clear the large number of old vessels still in service. It was believed that the 178 surface ships and 111 submarines built between 1895-1945 would be laid up namely 3 battleships (1), 1 monitor, 4 cruisers, 1 gunboat, 35 destroyers, 24 escorts, 20 coastal escorts, 40 fleet minesweepers of which were being converted into hydrographic vessels, 11 former German and Italian long range submarines, 15 old longe range, 37 ol medium and 48 old short range submarines and 50 M.T.B.’s. Submarines were considered old at the age of 14 or when modernized of 20 years. The Amur Flotilla was no longer needed and a substantial reduction was possible when a large number of the 584 coastal and inshore minesweepers and 630 harbour patrol boats was placed in the reserve. A reduction of the personnel strength with around 50,000 men seemed possible.

Note

1. The Novorossiysk former Italian Giulio Cesare sunk in 1955 and was broken in 1957. The Poltava and Gangat both laid down in 1909 were stricken on 17 Feburary 1956.

Source

Website Royal Australian Navy, Sea Power Centre.