He commanded cruisers, was the chief naval adviser in Spain, organizing the supply of the army of the republic and saving Spanish orphans. He commanded the Pacific Fleet. At the age of 36, at the behest of Stalin, he led the country's military fleet, bloodless by repression, becoming the first Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union. Kuznetsov managed to prepare the fleet for a German attack: on June 22, 1941, only sailors met the enemy fully armed and with minimal losses. Brilliantly leading the fleet during the war, he experienced disgrace in the 48th and a new disgrace and demotion under N.S. Khrushchev and G.K. Zhukov. The admiral did not break, although his talent was far from completely in demand. Only today, on the basis of a huge documentary material, we can offer the reader a book-reflection on the fate of the outstanding domestic naval commander.