The Kirov was the lead ship of the Kirov-class light cruisers built in the 1930s. The Kirovs were derived from the Italian Condottieri-class cruiser Raimondo Montecuccoli, as well as being designed in cooperation with Ansaldo and also bought plans for machinery and hull. Kirov was laid down on 22nd October 1935 and commissioned on 23rd September 1938. During the Winter War, she tried to bombard Finnish coastal batteries, but near misses from them damaged her. In August 1941, she was flagship of the naval force evacuating Tallinn. After the blockade of Leningrad, she conducted fire support and shore bombardment for the defenders of Leningrad from Kronshtadt. In an air raid on 4th April 1942, she was hit by three bombs that killed 86 sailors. After two months of repair, she returned to service, now with her catapult removed and her anti-air weaponry strengthened. She saw no further action in WWII after the blockade of Leningrad was lifted. On 2nd August 1961, she was reclassified as a training cruiser and sold for scrap on 22nd February 1974. Two of her main gun turrets are installed in Saint Petersburg as a memorial.

Kirov was introduced in Update 1.87 "Locked On". Her armour protection makes her vulnerable even to destroyer weapons at ranges closer than 10 km, the forward magazine is located on the waterline being protected by only 50 mm of belt armour which can lead to fatal explosion when hit. Kirov also does not possess torpedo bulges, making any torpedo hits fatal.