旅順港閉塞作戦
In 1904 he started service in the Imperial Russian Navy, as a midshipman on the steam-sail battleship "Imperator Nikolai I", which belonged to the squadron of Rear Admiral Nikolay Nyebogatov. Together with other ships, "Imperator Nikolai I" circumnavigated Africa, to help the besieged Port Arthur, during the Russo-Japanese War (see: Battle of Port Arthur).