From Tass and translated with Yandex

Assistant to the President of Russia and Chairman of the Maritime Board in an interview with TASS on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Victory said that today’s events are related to the times of the Great Patriotic War, when to wait for the end of the Naval war and what world changes will follow.

– Nikolay Platonovich, we are talking to you on the eve of a significant date — the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. For Russians, it has a special, deeply symbolic meaning. And it is not surprising that many people associate this anniversary with hopes for historical changes. In this regard, the first and most important question is what to expect for our citizens in global, geopolitical terms.

— On the eve of the Victory Day anniversary, we bow our heads to the feat of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War who showed their best personal qualities to defend their Homeland, crush fascism and give peace. Their courage has become an example for all generations. Today, the participants of the special military operation, like their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, selflessly fight for the eradication of the anti-human ideology of Nazism. The contours of our victory are already clearly visible.

At the same time, as in the years of the Second World War, humanity is again faced with a choice — a new bloody massacre or a just world order, where every country has the right to sovereignty and security.

Desperate to resist global change, Brussels, Berlin, Paris and a number of other European capitals are once again following the shameful path of flirting with the Nazis, deploying a war machine against Russia and starting to rave about scenarios of a nuclear apocalypse.

For the second year in a row, NATO is conducting the largest exercises in recent decades near our borders, where it is working out scenarios of offensive actions over a long length — from Vilnius to Odessa, capturing the Kaliningrad region, blocking navigation in the Baltic and Black Sea, and preemptive strikes on the permanent bases of the Russian nuclear deterrent forces. [Keir] Starmer (Prime Minister of Great Britain-approx. TASS) threatens our country with the dubious power of the long-worn British fleet and the nuclear weapons on board its submarines. He is echoed by Ursula von der Leyen, Mark Rutte, and other functionaries.

London today is most zealously eager to enter the Black Sea region. Britain has already established a “mine action coalition”, and now plans to escort merchant ships with ships of its Navy.

Westerners categorically do not want to admit that the world, contrary to their scenarios, is undergoing transformation. The unipolar West-centered world has outlived its usefulness. Multipolarity is emerging. The de facto economic and political agenda is already formed by countries that represent the global majority and whose opinion has been ignored by the West for many years. The BRICS and SCO associations are growing in popularity.

We consider the UN reform to be a logical consequence of the new world order process. The organization’s Security Council can be changed to reflect the interests of the entire international community
— Negotiations between Moscow and Washington aimed at resolving the Ukrainian crisis and ensuring security in the Black Sea have resumed. Can we expect serious improvements in the shipping situation in the near future?

— Your question is rather complicated. I would like to note that both Moscow and Washington are interested in ensuring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea and will pursue this goal. The next step should be taken by Kiev. At the same time, as we know in practice, Kiev has repeatedly demonstrated its complete inability to negotiate. It is equally obvious that the main factor of destabilization in the Black Sea region remains the actions of the Ukrainian army and the mercenaries fighting on its side.

— There is a version circulating in the public space that Ukrainian ports may also be the subject of discussion at future Russian-American negotiations. Does Russia claim them?

— Our country respects the will of the people. This is evident from the experience of Crimea, Sevastopol, Donbass, and Novorossiya becoming part of Russia. Residents of the regions of Ukraine, including the Black Sea regions, should determine their own future. And they are unlikely to link their fate with neo-Nazism. They do not want to submit to Kiev’s illegitimate authorities without any will.

Take a look at Odessa, the city founded by the Russian Empress Catherine II. For more than two centuries since its foundation, it has been an outpost of Russia on the Black Sea, occupying one of the leading places in the country in terms of population and level of economic development. For the heroism shown by its inhabitants during the Great Patriotic War, on May 1, 1945, Odessa was awarded the honorary title of hero city. And 69 years later-on May 2, 2014-this city became an arena for cold-blooded murders, unpunished crimes on a national basis. The worst” achievement ” of the neo-Nazi regime was the burning of people in the House of Trade Unions. The port of the glorious hero city has been turned into a hub for the transfer of weapons, a base for naval saboteurs. I believe that Odessa and the vast majority of its inhabitants have nothing in common with the Kiev regime.

— During the Great Patriotic War, Sevastopol, Kerch, Novorossiysk, Odessa became an example of courage and bravery in resisting the fascist invaders.

– The sailors of the Black Sea Fleet have become a symbol of unyielding will. It is important to always remember that the sailors, defending Sevastopol for 250 days, stood to the death, defending every inch of their native land. Just like today in Ukraine, the Marines terrified the Nazis with their courage and determination. Berlin was reached not only by the Soviet land armies, but also by the Dnieper Flotilla.

There are many examples of the exploits of Soviet sailors. Yes, during the Great Patriotic War there might have been a shortage of ships, planes and weapons, but the naval talents and personal courage of our soldiers were present in full. Under the skilful leadership of Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov, a system of operational interaction between fleets was established, which made it possible to instantly respond to threats and coordinate actions with the ground forces. Thousands of sailors and officers literally worked wonders on the sea, land and rivers.

In the heroic chronicle of the history of the Great Patriotic War, battles in the northern seas are forever inscribed. Let’s remember how the barely armed Sibiryakov was not afraid to engage the newest German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer, which was then forced to retreat from Dixon under the fierce fire of several coastal guns.

The Baltic Fleet played a key role in the defense of Leningrad. The ship’s artillery effectively stopped attempts to bombard the city by fascist troops, and the sailors participated in the construction of defensive fortifications. The Ladoga flotilla provided communication with the mainland along the Road of Life, which saved a huge number of Leningraders.

The Navy fought the enemy from the first days of the war until the victorious May. Just two weeks ago, it was 80 years since the German submarine Goya was sunk by the L-3 submarine. On April 24, 1945, the Pillau naval base was stormed, today it is the city of Baltiysk. And on May 9, after Berlin signed the act of unconditional surrender, the Marines of the Baltic Fleet liberated the Danish island of Bornholm from the Nazi invaders.

Let’s not forget that Soviet sailors also performed feats far from their shores. Very soon, on the eve of Victory Day, a monument to Soviet submariners will be unveiled in Panama. It will perpetuate the memory of their passage from the Far East to the Northern Fleet through the Panama Canal, near which one of the boats was killed by an enemy torpedo. The construction of the monument was made possible thanks to the enthusiasm of our compatriots, who honor the memory of the great soldiers who defended the world.

— Monuments in honor of the feat of Soviet sailors also continue to appear in our country?

— In the anniversary year, it is planned to erect new monuments to military sailors in Tatarstan, Irkutsk, Murmansk and a number of other regions. At the beginning of the year, monuments to the founders and former commanders-in-chief of the Navy appeared in the Moscow Region, and a monument to sailors of all generations was opened in the Lipetsk Region.

In addition, on the eve of the 80th anniversary, much attention is paid to the reconstruction of monuments to military sailors, merchant seamen and shipwrights who contributed to the Victory. For example, only on the territory of Severodvinsk there are 33 memorable objects associated with the Great Patriotic War, many of them were renovated in recent years. In 2025, the memorial “In memory of the soldiers of the 13th separate ski Brigade of the 2nd Shock Army of the Volkhov Front” will be reconstructed. It is located on the island of Jagry in Severodvinsk. There are many such examples.

— During the war, the entire country provided naval power.

– Sea battles during the Great Patriotic War became not only a confrontation of ships, but also a battle of technology, tactics and resources. We must pay tribute to the genius and perseverance of Soviet shipbuilders, who made many technical breakthroughs. Research laboratories and development bureaus have provided significant support to seafarers with their developments.

For example, the Leningrad Shipbuilding Institute, in the most difficult conditions of the besieged city, developed new technological processes necessary for the production of ship steam turbines and repair of internal combustion engines. In the educational and production workshops of the university, equipment for the manufacture of anti-aircraft shells was produced. The Institute’s specialists created projects for new landing boats and flatboats in the shortest possible time, and ensured the completion of the Petropavlovsk cruiser.

The legendary Sevmash built combat boats during the war, including sea hunters, which were used for landing troops, escorting submarines, and protecting transport convoys. The most complex military orders were carried out by Admiralty Shipyards, Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard, Rybinsk Vympel ,Arkhangelsk Krasnaya Kuznitsa and many others.

— It is known that close cooperation was also established with the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition.

— The Soviet people in the fight against fascism were really supported by the naval forces of foreign countries. The memory of their feat is sacred to us along with the memory of all Soviet people who gave their lives in the war against Nazism. At the same time, it is important not to forget that the main burden of the war was borne by the USSR.

We received most of our aid under lend-lease through the North Seas. But in addition to the polar convoys, there were other, less well-known destinations, such as across the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Iran.

— Your father, Platon Ignatievich, provided convoy escort during the war.

— Yes, he participated in many convoy operations, served on the destroyer “Active”. The destroyer was lost at the end of the war, only seven people from the entire crew were saved. My father survived by a miracle, as at that tragic moment he was in Leningrad.

The Foundation for the Preservation of Historical Memory “International Center for Northern Convoys” is working to perpetuate the memory of sailors of polar convoys. This is an important and necessary work that deserves sincere gratitude from the descendants of brave Soviet sailors. In the future, a separate museum dedicated to the history and heritage of the northern and other Allied convoys will be created in St. Petersburg on the alluvial areas of Vasilievsky Island. Now there is a mobile exhibition where documents, photographs and personal belongings of officers and sailors who participated in the battles in the northern seas are presented.

I believe that the topic of allied convoys can become a good basis for resuming contacts with museum, educational and veterans ‘ organizations of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition.
The memory of the courage of the participants in the war remains even in states where Russophobia is rampant today. For example, in the UK, in the city of Londonderry, there is a monument in honor of Arctic convoys, which mentions the contribution of Soviet sailors.

— At the same time, the shameful war with monuments to Soviet soldiers continues in many European cities.

— During the Second World War, some Europeans joined the Allied fleets to lead convoys to Murmansk, and others put on SS uniforms and went to Russian soil to burn villages. So it is today: there is no common position in Europe regarding the rejection of Nazism and the preservation of the memory of the joint struggle against it. Cases of vandalism and desecration of monuments are constantly surfacing in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Bulgaria, and the Baltic states. Military monuments in Ukraine have been demolished or desecrated. Thus, the ship Zheleznyakov, installed as a monument in Kiev in 1967, became a refuge for marginals.

In Britain and the European Union, multi-volume books about the Second World War are published, which cynically ignore the atrocities of the German invaders, the losses of the Soviet Union, and belittle the role of the USSR in the Victory over fascism.

When voting on the UN platform on the resolution prepared by Russia to combat the glorification of Nazism, a number of Western countries voted against it. However, most of the world’s states supported the document — and we consider this trend to be very important. By the 80th anniversary of the Victory over Fascism, Russia is striving to consolidate the efforts of the international community to develop a stable immunity to Nazism and its manifestations. To prevent a repeat of the catastrophe of the Second World War.

Belittling the heroic feat of the USSR is unacceptable, since it insults the entire multinational people of our country. While preserving historical memory is the key to a peaceful future. To this end, Russia has become more active in publishing documents confirming the crimes of the Third Reich and those who supported it financially, politically and ideologically.

I believe that all those who are currently reviving the ideas of Hitlerite fascism deserve international censure and criminal punishment today
We must remember the lessons that the Second World War taught us. For the further development of our country and ensuring its security, for predicting a stable future, we must use all the past experience.

— This also applies to the further development of the Russian Navy?

— 80 years ago, naval art was different, not to mention the level of technical development. However, the most fundamental principles of the maritime strategy remain unchanged.

The accumulated experience, including those gained in a special military operation, as well as the forecast of the military-political situation are taken into account in the draft strategies for the development of the Navy and the FSB ship staff for the period up to 2050. They are based on a conceptual view of the role and place of the Navy in the current realities. Their implementation will create a new image of the Navy, provide a significant scientific and technical reserve, preserve the status of a great maritime power for our country, increase the combat power and operational capabilities of the Navy.

— The breakthrough development of the Navy during the Great Patriotic War formed the foundation of our country’s naval power for many decades to come. Is the navy ready to deal with military threats today?

— Today, the Navy, together with other branches and branches of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, reliably ensures the strategic security of our country. Nuclear submarines with ballistic missiles on board from the Northern and Pacific Fleets, along with the Strategic Missile Forces and the VKS, form a strategic nuclear triad. Marines of all fleets and the Caspian Flotilla show courage and heroism during a special military operation.

Ships, submarines and naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla strike at military facilities and armed formations of Ukraine. The ships are equipped with modern missile and artillery weapons, electronic warfare, counteraction to unmanned boats and unmanned aerial vehicles. And their high combat readiness is ensured by the professionalism of military seamen who hone their skills during exercises and campaigns, including with the naval forces of friendly states.

World history teaches that for the safety of sea shipping routes, foreign economic relations, and cargo transportation, it is necessary to have a strong navy that does not allow hostile encroachments. The military-political situation on the world stage, as well as the forecast of the situation in the world, dictate the need to further strengthen the naval power of our state, which corresponds to the geographical location of our country and national interests. That’s what we’re going to do. Only in the last few months, the Navy has received a new nuclear submarine “Arkhangelsk”. The Perm submarine, the first carrier of hypersonic Zircon missiles, was launched from the Sevmash boathouse. The state pays special attention to the construction of modern ships.

– Nikolai Platonovich, the Russian Navy has its own traditions of naming ships. Are there any plans to perpetuate the memory of SVO in the names of ships of the Russian Navy?

— The special military operation has already gone down in history as an important stage in Russia’s struggle for its security and a necessary step to protect its compatriots. There is no doubt that the memory of these events will remain not only in memorials, but also in the names of military equipment.

New Russian ships should be named after the heroes and events of the special military operation. I believe, for example, that the fleet can get cruisers with the names “Donetsk”and ” Lugansk”. This will be a logical continuation of the glorious tradition, demonstrate respect for the feat of defenders of the Fatherland.