Avrora won't be decommissioned – deputy CIC

03.02.2010 Source: RIA Novosti, photo: cruiser Avrora (nevozhay.com)

Russian Navy Command does not plan to decommission legendary cruiser Avrora famed for her storied fire on Zimny Palace [Russian Emperor's residence] in 1917. That was reported in letter of Fedor Smuglin, Russian Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief, answering the request of public organization "Avrora" about the cruiser's fate.

Cruiser Avrora appeared in the center of scandal when a birthday party of "Russian Pioneer" magazine was arranged on board the warship on June 6, 2009. Among attendants were known politicians, public figures and businessmen. When it was reported about mentioned festivities, Procuracy of Leningrad Military Command set an inquiry panel to investigate the incident; Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief issued an order prohibiting to arrange "other than military" activities on board warships.

Late 2009 president of Onexim Group Mikhail Prokhorov addressed to Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, Russian Navy CIC and Valentina Matvienko, Governor of St. Petersburg with an offer to sponsor legendary cruiser Avrora.

That aroused concern of public organization "Avrora".

"Russian Navy Command participates in your concern of preservation of Russian Navy's historical relics. It is not planned to release the cruiser to control of constituents of the Russian Federation. The fate of cruiser Avrora remains the same; she will be preserved as Russian Navy's historical object. Tourist and exhibition activities will be arranged as well as work with oncoming generation", says the letter of Mr. Smuglin.

Cruiser Avrora is still the ship No. 1 in Russian Navy roll and the branch of Central Naval Museum. Blank shot made by Avrora's gun in 1917 during the October Socialist Revolution was a signal to assault Zimny Palace. At the time of the Great Patriotic War the cruiser defended approaches to besieged Leningrad. Avrora became a museum in 1956.