In November 1899, shortly after entering service with the Baltic Fleet, General-Admiral Apraksin ran aground on Hogland Island in the Gulf of Finland.

[2] Nevertheless, all three were selected to form part of Admiral Nebogatov's Third Pacific Squadron which was subsequently sent out to reinforce Rozhestvensky on his journey to the Far East after political agitation following his departure.

The two Russian squadrons finally met and united at Cam Ranh Bay after a cruise that became known as the "Voyage of the Damned", and from there Rozhestvensky set course through the South China Sea towards the Korea Strait, where they were discovered by the Japanese.

Nebogatov's Third Division was largely able to keep itself together during the night, although Apraksin's sister ship Admiral Ushakov strayed from formation and was sunk by Japanese torpedoes.

Okinoshima was named for the small island of Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, which is the site of a famous Shinto shrine, and which is also geographically close to the location of the Battle of Tsushima.

[4] Okinoshima was part of the Japanese Second Fleet at the outbreak of the First World War, participating in the Battle of Tsingtao against the small number of German ships left behind by Admiral von Spee's East Asia Squadron.