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. Image File history File links Admiral_of_the_Fleet_of_the_Soviet_Union_rank_insignia. ...

The rank was largely honorary and could be considered equivalent to Admiral of the Navy in other nations. It was formally established by the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union on March 3, 1955 and replaced a similarly named rank, Admiral of the Fleet (Адмирал флота) that was already equivalent to the Marshal of the Soviet Union since 1945. The holders were entitled to a 'big' Marshal's Star. Admiral of the Navy is a senior-most rank of a naval service, with its origins in the Middle Ages. ... Sovnarkom or SNK was the administrative arm of the Soviet government until 1946, when it was renamed Sovmin. ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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 Marshal of the Soviet Union (Russian: Marshal Sovietskogo Soyuza [Маршал Советского Союза]) was in practice the highest military rank of the Soviet Union. ... The Star of the Marshal (Russian: ) was a military symbol in the Soviet Union and today in the Russian Federation. ...

Upon creation, the only two Admirals of the Fleet in existence, Nikolai Kuznetsov and Ivan Isakov, were "promoted" to this rank. In 1956 Kuznetsov was demoted to Vice Admiral for political reasons and Isakov remained the only Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union until his death in 1967. His successor, Admiral Sergei Gorshkov, then became the third and last Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union. Gorshkov died in 1988 and no further appointments were made before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Nikolai Kuznetsov as Admiral of the Fleet Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov (Russian: Николай Герасимович Кузнецов) (July 24, 1904–December 6, 1974) was a Soviet naval officer and Peoples Commissar of the Navy during World War II. // Kuznetsov was born in the village of Medvedki in the Kotlas district of the Arkhangelsk Oblast. ... Hovanness (Ivan) Isakov (Armenian: Հովհանես Սթեփանի Իսակով) (Russian: Иван Степанович Исаков) (22 August [O.S. 22 August 10] 1894 - October 11, 1967) was a Soviet Armenian military commander, chief of staff and Admiral of the Fleet (USSR) in the Soviet Navy. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Sergey Georgyevich Gorshkov (b. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

From 1962 onwards, it was one grade higher than Admiral of the Fleet which was recreated as intermediate rank, equivalent to General of the Army. 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. ... General of the Army (Russian: генерал армии, general armii) was a rank of the Soviet Union which was first established in June 1940 as the highest rank for Red Army generals, inferior only to the Marshal of the Soviet Union. ...

See also

• Russian military ranks