Aleksei Birilev

Aleksei Alekseyevich Birelev (Алексей Алексеевич Бирилёв) (1844–1915) was an admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy and Minister of the Navy in the Imperial Government.

Berilev was born into a family of relatively poor Russian nobility, without an estate. He attended the Nikolayev Naval Academy graduating in 1889. Between 1880 and 1894 he commanded the frigate Admiral Lazarev, cruiser Lieutenant Ilyin, cruiser Plastuni, armoured cruiser Minin, coastal battleship Admiral Ushakov and battleship Gangut.

Berilev was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1894 and commanded the ordnance department of the Russian Navy. From 1900 to 1904, he commanded the Mediterranean squadron of the Russian Navy becoming Vice Admiral in 1901. In 1904 he was appointed to command the Baltic Fleet and as governor of Kronstadt. In May 1905 he was appointed commander of the Pacific Fleet after the defeat at Tsushima.

In June 1905 he was appointed Navy Minister and sat in the Imperial Duma (Parliament) as a deputy. He chaired the Admiralty Council and was on the National Defence Council. He was retired from his post as minister in January 1907 and promoted to Admiral. He died in 1915.