The history and life of cruiser "Murmansk" is as long as it is complicated and has recently been influenced by a lot of politics. It should have been scrapped 16 years ago, but stranded at the coast of Finnmark. Now it finally meets its fate.
One can look at the life of the "Murmansk" as a two stories
Part 1 - The ship that was built during the Cold War in 1953 and was part of the powerful Russian war fleet until 1992:
1953 - 1994
Was put onto construction № 402 (Severodvinsk) (serial number 302) 28/01/1953
and enlisted in the list of naval ships 9/25/1953.
Launched 24.04.1955 and came into operation 22.09.1955.Joined the Northern Fleet 06.10.1955.
Feb. 1962 was a part of the newly formed 6th (Rocket) division.
From October 17th to 21st of 1964 it visited Trondheim (Norway) and was from 10th to 14th of May 1978 in Bordeaux (France). In April-May 1970, during the exercise "Ocean" by SF Admiral SM Lobov the cruiser "Murmansk" was under the control exercised by the Navy in the North Atlantic. From 01.11.1970 to 31.07.1971, it found itself in a war zone to carry out missions to assist the armed forces in Egypt.
In the period from 01/28/1972 to 11/30/1973 at "Sevmorzavode" in Sebastopol, it was overhauled and made inspection of the 24 million rubles. Between 1988 and 1989 it restarts cruises for USSR. 01.12.1989 it was taken out of service and was placed in the sludge Kola Bay. In July 1992 it was disarmed and expelled from the Navy in connection with the transfer of OFI for disassembly and implementation.
Part 2-The ship that under towing to India for scrapping was lost under storm and stranded outside Sørvær in 1994 until the contract was signed between the AF and the Norwegian Coastal Administration in 2009.
1994 - 2009
1994: Murmansk was towed to Bombay India for scrapping, but was lost under storm and stranded outside Sørvær, Sørøya on Christmas Eve 1994.
1995: A Norwegian salvage company was contracted to get Murmansk floating again, but had to cancel the mission.
2000: The Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency concluded that there were only minor amounts of oil left in the ship, and that there was no threat to the environment.
2003-2005: Speculations from local governments and organizations that there could be other hazardous substances on board.
2007: There were discovered low radioactive components in parts of the wreckage.
2008: Media published the bulletin that the Murmansk contained radioactive and other hazardous substances. The Norwegian Fishing and Coast Ministry ordered the Murmansk removal.
Winter 2009: Coastal Administration lays out the mission of the tender. More than 20 national and international companies reported interest.
Spring 2009: The Norwegian Coastal Administration and AF signed a contract for the removal of the wreck Murmansk.
Summer 2009: The project initiated and is scheduled to be completed in 2011.
Facts about Prosjekt68Bis Sword Class
The Sverdlovs were intended to replace older cruisers built before and during World War II. 30 ships were scheduled built under Stalin, but when Kruchev came to power, he forced Navy to cancel the program, as he considered the ships out of date. Some of the Sverdlovs was built as gun cruisers, while others were converted to command or governing missile ships.
Hull: L x W x H x = 210.10m 22.10m x 7.80m
Cruising speed: 23 knots
Weapons:
12 x 5.9 "MK-5 gun with three races (laps)
12 x 3.9 "SM 5-1 guns with three races (3600 rounds)
32 x 37mm V-11M cannon double run (44,250 rounds)
10 x 21 "torpedo tubes
180 mines
Engine / Turbine:
6 pcs KV-68 boilers equipped with 2 TB-72 steam turbines supplied 110000shp in two chimneys.
