Rudakov, Olimpiy Ivanovich (1913–1974) – USSR Rear Admiral and PhD of Naval Science. In 1937 R. graduated from Frunze Naval Officer School. In the same year, R. visited Great Britain attending the Royal Coronation Ceremony during his cadet practice aboard Marat battleship. During 1937–1939 R. commanded the artillery unit of Uritskiy, a fleet destroyer of the Northern Fleet. In 1939 R. became the commander of the artillery unit of Kuybyshev fleet destroyer. In the same year, R. was appointed commander of the artillery unit of Karl Liebknecht fleet destroyer before being transferred to the same position at Gremyashchiy fleet destroyer. In 1941 R. was appointed assistant commander of Sokrushitelny fleet destroyer. In 1942 R. was arrested for “cowardice,” expelled from the Communist Party, demoted, and imprisoned for 10 years. In 1943 R.’s imprisonment was changed to a term in a frontline penal unit by the resolution of Presidium of USSR Supreme Soviet. R. distinguished himself in battle at Rybachiy. In the same year, his conviction was lifted, R. being appointed commander of antitank platoon. At the beginning of 1944, R. was reinstated as Lieutenant Captain and transferred to the Northern Fleet. He was appointed assistant commander of Gromkiy fleet destroyer acting as commander and later becoming the commander of Doblestny fleet destroyer. R. participated in the evacuation of Stalin and Severny Veter icebreakers from the Kara Sea. R. escorted 71 domestic and international convoys participating in 7 antisubmarine operations. In 1945 R., this time Captain Third Rank, was appointed the first officer of Arkhangelsk, the flagship of the Northern Fleet. After that R. was appointed commander of Murmansk (Milwaukee) cruiser. After the cruiser was returned to the USA, R. became the commander of the Black Sea Fleet’s Kerch, a former Italian cruiser captured during the war.

In 1952 Captain First Rank R. became the commander of the Baltic Fleet’s Sverdlov, a brand new light cruiser. In 1953 R. led Sverdlov to Portsmouth, Great Britain, to participate in the international naval parade in honor of Elizabeth II coronation. The nautical skill of R. and his crew became a world sensation (the ship was brought to anchor in 12 min instead of the regular 1.5 h). During the reception in Buckingham Palace, the young Queen took the Soviet officer for dancing. On his return to Portsmouth, R. was appointed Chief of Staff of a naval squadron of Fourth Fleet in the Baltic Sea and promoted to Rear Admiral. R. graduated from the Naval Academy and served in Intelligence Department of the General Staff for some time. In 1959, after N.Artamonov, commander of the Baltic Fleet’s Soobrazitelny fleet destroyer (and a former subordinate of R. aboard Sverdlov) escaped to Sweden, R. was appointed a Professor at the Naval Academy. Ploshchad Revolutsiyii station of the Moscow underground railway features a bronze figure of a seaman from Marat battleship. Sculptor M. Manizer is said to have modeled the figure after the young R.

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