The Russian Navy or VMF is the naval arm of the Russian Military. The present Russian Navy succeeded the Navy of the Commonwealth of Independent States which succeeded the Soviet Navy after the dissolution of the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War in 1991. The regular Russian Navy was originally established by Peter the Great (Peter I) in October of 1696. Ascribed to Peter I is the oft quoted statement: A ruler that has but an army has one hand but he who has a navy has both.
