The name of that ship, in its turn, referred to the Azov campaigns of Peter the Great.

The ship served with the Baltic Fleet, and in 1891–1892 it took part in a Cruise around Asia with Crown Prince Nicholas on board.

This led to a Fabergé egg, the Memory of Azov being made to commemorate this event.

She made a visit to the French Navy in October 1893 in Toulon to reinforce the Franco-Russian Alliance.

[1] In 1906, during the First Russian Revolution, the crew of the cruiser mutinied while at Hara Bay near Reval.