The rank of Admiral of the Fleet (Russian: Admiral Flota, Адмирал флота ) was the second-highest naval rank of the Soviet Union, one grade lower than Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union. The rank of Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union (Russian: Admiral Flota Sovietskogo Soyuza, Адмирал Флота Советского Союза) was the highest naval rank of the Soviet Union. ...

Since the 1940 creation of personal Admiral-grade ranks in RKKF, some higher grades were missing. According to Admiral Nikolai Kuznetsov, the rank was conferred on him by Joseph Stalin in May 1944 without any formal process. "In 1944," Kuznetsov wrote, "Stalin, quite inexpectedly for me, raised in Supreme Headquarters a question about conferring on me the next military rank. At the moment we had no rank higher than Admiral. I reported that foreign Navies had a rank of Admiral of the Fleet. [So] it was decided to institute the rank of Admiral of the Fleet, with four stars on the shoulder straps. So I obtained the next rank of Admiral of the Fleet." 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... There are several people named Nikolai Kuznetsov: Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov (1904–1974) Soviet Union Naval officer Nikolai Dmitriyevich Kuznetsov (1911–1995), jet plane motor designer, Soviet Union, twice Hero of Socialist Labor Nikolai Fedorovich Kuznetsov (1916–2000), Commander of the Cosmonaut Training Centre 1963–1972. ... Joseph Stalin â–¶(?) (Russian, in full: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин (Josef Vissarionovich Stalin), real name: Иосиф Виссарионович Джугашвили (Josef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili), Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვილი (Ioseb Jughashvili); December 6 (OS)/December 18 (NS), 1878 – March 5, 1953) was the leader of the Soviet Union from mid-1920s to his death in 1953 and General Secretary of the Communist Party of the... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Admiral of the Fleet is a supreme naval position that has existed in historical navies and still exists in several modern-day navies. ...

In 1948 Kuznetsov was demoted two grades to the rank of Counter Admiral. Soon before Stalin's death, however, Kuznetsov was again restored as Admiral of the Fleet and was one of two Admirals to receive the rank of Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union upon its official creation in 1955. 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Russian military ranks
• Admiral of the Fleet