Cats were believed by Russian sailors to bring good luck, often accompanied warships on missions, and were even given the rank of naval officer.
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| The Russian Ministry of Defense on May 1 released an image of Sergei Ivanovich, the first cat deployed in the Russian navy's combat mission in Syria, according to RBTH. |
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| Sergei Ivanovich served on the heavy cruiser Moskva, along with officers and sailors operating in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Syria. |
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| Cats have been carried aboard Russian warships and civilian vessels for hundreds of years. Many were considered indispensable members of the crew, awarded medals and awards, even officers and statues. Not only did they hunt mice, but they also helped sailors relax and were said to bring good luck to the ship. |
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| The most famous of the current “cat officers” is Botsman (Chief Sailor), the black cat who serves on the nuclear-powered cruiser Kirov. The ship has two separate crews. One group is made up of Russian naval officers responsible for looking after and maintaining the Kirov while it awaits dismantling, while the other group is a pack of cats led by Botsman, whose job is to hunt mice and keep an eye out for strangers lurking near the ship. |
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| Under Botsman's command were dozens of cats of various kinds, each occupying its own area on the ship. They were very diligent and always obeyed the captain's orders. |
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| Meanwhile, sailors on the destroyer Marshal Ustinov complained that their cat was lazy, defying the discipline imposed by the commanders. Every time the cat returned to Severodvinsk port, it ran to the nearby Zvezdochka repair plant to find friends. |
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| Cat numbers are often limited by the size of warships. On large warships like the Admiral Kuznetsov, crews say it is impossible to count exactly how many cats are on board. Smaller ships often have just one cat. |
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| Cats are not only found on surface ships, they are also found on submarines. Although they have no mice to catch, these cats play a very important role in helping the crew relax and calm them while on duty. Some officers believe that cats are better at detecting smoke and gas leaks than any other sensor on a submarine. Others believe that cats can bring good luck, ward off storms and warn of bad weather. |
According to VNE/Photo: Oleg Kuleshov
