The head of state toured the dormitory, swimming pool and gym, and talked with cadets.
The academy was founded in 1944 after Leningrad's complete liberation from the Nazi blockade. 500 pupils as of 10 years old – sons of the defenders of the Motherland who died in the fronts of the Great Patriotic War – studied there at that time. The school's graduates number more than 12,000 and most have opted for service in the Navy; several have become admirals. At present graduates of the academy serve on virtually every combat ship of the Russian Navy.
The academy was named after an outstanding Russian naval commander, Admiral Pavel Nakhimov (1802–1855).