Nikolai Kulakov

Nikolai Mikhailovich Kulakov ( – 25 March 1976) was an officer of the Soviet Navy. He saw action in the Second World War and rose to the rank of vice-admiral, despite being demoted three times in his career.

Born in 1908, Kulakov initially began studying in Kiev for a career as a railway worker, before coming into contact with the navy through the local Komsomol. Joining the navy in 1932, he entered the political branch, serving as a military commissar on several vessels, before sitting on the Military Councils of the Northern and then the Black Sea Fleets. Serving on the Black Sea during the start of the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Kulakov took part in planning the defences of the Black Sea ports, and when they were overwhelmed, the counterattacks. The heavy human cost of these brought the Military Council under investigation and Kulakov suffered his first demotion, from rear-admiral to captain 1st rank, and reassignment.

Returned to useful work and restored to his former rank by the Navy's commander in chief, Nikolay Kuznetsov, Kulakov repaid Kuznetsov by acting as his prosecutor in a trial on charges of giving away military secrets, and succeeded in having Kuznetsov demoted. Kulakov himself was demoted shortly afterwards for "unsatisfactory leadership of party political work", but once more returned to prominence and former rank with service with the Black Sea Fleet. Implicated in the loss of the battleship Novorossiisk in 1955, Kulakov was demoted for a third time and transferred to the Baltic Fleet. Here he rebuilt his career in the navy's political department once more, returning to the rank of vice-admiral and being awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He retired in 1971 and died in 1976.

Early life Kulakov was born on in Ivanovo, Kimovsky District, then part of Tula Governorate, in the Russian Empire.

Great Patriotic War The ruins of Sevastopol harbour after the city's capture by German forces. The failed defence, and subsequent losses in counterattacks, caused Kulakov's first fall from grace. With the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Kulakov was involved in planning the defence of the Black Sea Fleet's ports, and in organising counterattacks by Soviet Naval Aviation and units of the Danube Flotilla. He oversaw the activities of the political bodies and party organizations of the Black Sea Fleet during this time. On 13 December 1942 divisional commissioners like Kulakov were ranked as rear admirals, and he was sent to Gelendzhik to assist in preparing counterattacks. He retired from the navy in December 1971, and died on 25 March 1976.

Awards and legacy

In addition to being awarded Hero of the Soviet Union, Kulakov was twice awarded the Order of Lenin, in 1942 and again in 1965, received two Orders of the Red Banner, in 1944 and 1953, the Order of Nakhimov, 1st Degree in 1945, and the Order of the Red Star in 1947.