Federal 320th Anniversary of the Russian Navy

The Russian Navy traces its formal founding to a decree by Peter the Great in 1696, following the capture of Azov from the Ottoman Empire — the campaign that convinced Peter a permanent naval force was not optional but existential. The 320th anniversary falls on that 1696 date, making this a less-rounded commemoration than the typical centennial issues, a choice that reflects the current Russian government's sustained effort to anchor naval prestige to Petrine mythology.

Peter's Azov fleet was largely built by forced labor at Voronezh, hundreds of miles from the sea.