Admiral who led the Black Sea Fleet in the defence of Odessa and Sevastopol, and remains at the centre of the evacuation controversy
On 22 June 1941, warned of approaching bombers, Oktyabrsky said "Act according to instructions" and refused to order fire. His chief of staff opened up on his own, but in that brief delay the Germans laid mines in the harbour.
Wartime commander of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet. From 1939 he led the fleet through the defence of Odessa and Sevastopol after Barbarossa, and organised the Kerch–Feodosia amphibious operation. Dismissed in 1943 after the failed South Ozereyka landing, he returned to command the Black Sea Fleet in 1944 and contributed to the Crimean, Odessa, and Jassy–Kishinev offensives. Promoted to admiral in 1944, he served postwar as First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, and in 1958 received the Hero of the Soviet Union for his leadership in the defence of Sevastopol. The decision to evacuate himself and the command staff while leaving tens of thousands of defenders behind in Sevastopol remains bitterly contested.
Career Timeline
- 1918Volunteered for Red Baltic Fleet, fought in Civil War
- 1920Graduated Mine School of Baltic Fleet
- 1924Changed surname from Ivanov to Oktyabrsky (honouring the October Revolution)
- 1938–1939Commander, Amur Military Flotilla, saw action at Lake Khasan
- 1939–1943Commander, Black Sea Fleet — defence of Odessa and Sevastopol
- 1943–1944Commander, Amur Flotilla (demoted after dismissal from Black Sea Fleet)
- 1944–1948Returned as Commander, Black Sea Fleet; promoted Admiral (10 Apr 1944)
- 1948–1951First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy
- 1957–1960Head, Nakhimov Black Sea Higher Naval Institute
- 1960–1969Inspector-Advisor, Group of General Inspectors, Ministry of Defence