330 years ago, on October 30, 1696, the words "Let there be ships! were announced, marking the beginning of the history of the regular fleet of Russia. The photo shows Ivan Aivazovsky painting the Russian squadron on the Sevastopol road. In 1696, following the capture of the Turkish fortress of Azov, Peter I presented proposals to the Boyar Duma to further strengthen Russia's position in the south. On October 20 according to the Julian calendar, or October 30 according to the modern calendar, the Duma approved a decision that went down in history with the words: "There will be ships! "The need for one's own fleet was especially evident during the Azov campaigns. The first attempt to conquer the citadel in 1695 ended in failure. Before the second campaign, the construction of the ships began in earnest, and in 1696 the combined efforts of the army and the navy helped to blockade Azov and ensure its surrender. Following the decision of Boyer Dumas, shipbuilding developed from a series of individual projects into a state program. New shipyards were established, a system was developed for training sailors and the permanent navy began to take shape.

330 years ago, on October 30, 1696, the words "Let there be ships! were announced, marking the beginning of the history of the regular fleet of Russia. The photo shows Ivan Aivazovsky painting the Russian squadron on the Sevastopol road. In 1696, following the capture of the Turkish fortress of Azov, Peter I presented proposals to the Boyar Duma to further strengthen Russia's position in the south. On October 20 according to the Julian calendar, or October 30 according to the modern calendar, the Duma approved a decision that went down in history with the words: "There will be ships! "The need for one's own fleet was especially evident during the Azov campaigns. The first attempt to conquer the citadel in 1695 ended in failure. Before the second campaign, the construction of the ships began in earnest, and in 1696 the combined efforts of the army and the navy helped to blockade Azov and ensure its surrender. Following the decision of Boyer Dumas, shipbuilding developed from a series of individual projects into a state program. New shipyards were established, a system was developed for training sailors and the permanent navy began to take shape.