The ship was sunk in 1915 when she struck a mine laid by a German submarine in the Baltic Sea.

Already launched when Captain capsized in a storm in 1870, Minin was reconstructed as an armored cruiser with her armament on the broadside and improved machinery.

Her hull was sheathed with copper to reduced biofouling and her crew numbered approximately 545 officers and men.

[2] The ship carried a maximum of 1,000 long tons (1,000 t) of coal[3] which gave her an economical range of 4,200 nautical miles (7,800 km; 4,800 mi) at a speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph).

Minin had a steel deck 1 inch (25 mm) thick at the top of the belt, but her armament was entirely unprotected.

However, the draft of Minin could be lessened to 23.5 feet (7.2 m) by unloading her guns, ammunition, sailing equipment and the like.