A Russian squadron under Admiral Pavel Nakhimov trapped and annihilated an Ottom

1853 Event

Russia Destroys Ottoman Fleet: Sinop Triggers Crimean War

A Russian squadron under Admiral Pavel Nakhimov trapped and annihilated an Ottoman fleet in the harbor of Sinop on the Black Sea on November 30, 1853. In three hours, Russian explosive shells destroyed 11 of 12 Ottoman ships and killed roughly 3,000 sailors. It was the last major engagement between wooden sailing warships in history. The explosive shells, a relatively new technology, proved devastatingly effective against wooden hulls, foreshadowing the end of the sailing warship era. In Britain, the press called it 'the Massacre of Sinop' and used it to whip up public outrage against Russian expansionism. Britain and France entered the war against Russia in March 1854, beginning the Crimean War. The conflict introduced the Charge of the Light Brigade, Florence Nightingale's nursing reforms, and the first war photography.

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November 30, 1853

173 years ago

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