Weapons Designer Anatoly Maslov
Obverse
in the centre there is a relief image of the National Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation and over it a semicircular inscription along the rim: "РОССИЙСКАЯ ФЕДЕРАЦИЯ" (RUSSIAN FEDERATION) framed by doubled rhombuses on both sides, under the emblem, in three lines, there is an inscription: "БАНК РОССИИ" (BANK OF RUSSIA), the coin’s par value "25 РУБЛЕЙ" (25 RUBLES), and the year of issue "2020 г." (2020), and on the right there is a mint trade mark.
Reverse
a relief image of the Project 26 light cruiser and the inscription ‘КРЕЙСЕР ‘КИРОВ’ (CRUISER KIROV) below; along the rim there are the inscriptions ‘ОРУЖИЕ ВЕЛИКОЙ ПОБЕДЫ’ (WEAPONS OF THE GREAT VICTORY) at the top and ‘А.И. МАСЛОВ’ (ANATOLY MASLOV) at the bottom.
Authors
Designers: E.V. Kramskaya (obverse), A.V. Gnidin (reverse).
Sculptors: A.A. Dolgopolova (obverse), A.V. Gnidin (reverse).
Mint: Moscow Mint (ММД).
Edge: 180 corrugations.
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Anatoly Ioasafovich Maslov (1884–1968) was a Soviet shipbuilder and the chief designer of the Project 26 light cruiser Kirov, launched in 1936.
The Project 26 cruisers were the first large ships built in the Soviet Union. Due to a lack of experience in building such ships, they were designed on the basis of the light cruiser Eugenio di Savoia, whose blueprints were acquired from Italy. Owing to the cooperation with Italian experts, the development of the cruiser Kirov allowed the adoption and use of cutting-edge technology. That said, the Soviet cruiser was not merely a copy of the Italian prototype; on the contrary, it was the result of serious redevelopment. In particular, it boasted heavy artillery weapons, suitable for a heavy cruiser, and high durability.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Kirov actively participated in military operations in the Baltic Sea and took part in the defence of Tallinn and Leningrad, deflecting enemy air strikes, helping contain ground forces and supporting the assault of the Soviet Army. The Kirov came under heavy artillery and aerial attacks many times. It was seriously damaged a few times, but never sank.
In 1943, for model execution of combat missions against the Nazi German invaders, the cruiser Kirov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.