Was the Soviet Pacific fleet in WW2 capable of taking Manila?

by Warblefly41
andriah_blashkovich

At what exact point in time?

During WW2, the Soviet Pacific Fleet was on a state of high alert, and was a part of the Soviet offensive in Manchuria in 1945 (specifically, North Korea and south Sakhalin)

Since a part of the Pacific Fleet was moved to the North Fleet in Murmansk, the ships at disposal of the VMF's PF in 1945 included:

two cruisers, one destroyer leader, ten destroyers, two torpedo boats, 19 patrol boats, 78 submarines, ten minelayers, 52 minesweepers, 49 "MO" anti-submarine boats (MO stands for Малый Охотник, or "little hunter"), 204 motor torpedo boats and 1459 war planes.

The 2 cruisers were new Kirov class heavy cruisers; Kaganovich and Kalinyin, comissioned at the end of 1944 and 1942 respectively, that haven't seen action in the Pacific War.

With such a feeble force compared to the IJN and USN, and lack of naval warfare know-how, it's not really a matter of debate - could those ships technically sail to Manila? Yes. Could they pose a threat to the IJN early in the war, or to the USN post-Leyte-gulf? Absolutely not.

Also, keep in mind achieving naval and air superiority in an area is one thing, whereas planning a naval invasion is a completely different thing - one for which Soviets weren't prepared for nor have ever planned in that regards.

Sources:

Evans&Peattie : Kaigun

Polmar : Naval institute guide to the Soviet Navy