Russian cruiser Izumrud

Izumrud (Изумруд, meaning "Emerald") was a protected cruiser of the Imperial Russian Navy, and the lead ship in the two-ship Izumrud-class cruiser class. The Izumrud and her sister ship RUSSIAN CRUISER Zhemchug were based on the German-built RUSSIAN CRUISER Novik.

Background
Izumrud was ordered as part of the Imperial Russian Navy’s plan to expand the Russian Pacific Fleet based at Port Arthur and Vladivostok to counter the growing threat posed by the Imperial Japanese Navy towards Russian hegemony in Manchuria and Korea.

Operational History
Izumrud was laid down at the Nevsky Shipyard in Petrograd, Russia on January 1, 1901. However, construction was delayed due to priority given to completion of the RUSSIAN CRUISER Novik. She was launched on October 1, 1903. Construction continued to be plagued by delays, including an ice storm in December. However, with the start of the Russo-Japanese War in early 1904, construction efforts were greatly accelerated.

Izumrud was formally commissioned in January 1904 and she was assigned to the Second Pacific Squadron of the Russian Pacific Fleet.

During the Russo-Japanese War
Under the overall command of Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky, Izumrud was part of the Second Pacific Squadron intended to relieve the Japanese siege of Port Arthur. Captained by Commander Vasili Fersen, she participated in the decisive Battle of Tsushima from May 27-28, 1905. At the end of the battle, Fersen refused to obey the order of Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov to surrender, and used her speed to escape through the Japanese blockade. However, on the night of May 28, she ran aground in the Gulf of Vladimir in the Russian Maritime Province and was abandoned. Her crew reached Vladivostok by land.