The Italian naval architect Cuniberti designed the original Marat class of dreadnoughts for Russia. Shortly after the Communists took over, the new leaders of the Soviet Union wanted a similar, but more powerful, version of the Marat, so the Borodino class was conceived. With 14" instead of 12" guns in the same 4 x 3 format, Borodino was better armored, faster, and of world standard for 1920. World standards, though, developed rapidly in the ensuing years while the Soviet Union was busy fighting internal enemies, and the Borodino had no "sisters" as the Soviet Navy stagnated. Slightly rebuilt in the late thirties, her only concession to modern times was a new clipper bow, elimination of the double-decked casemate guns, and a few added light AA guns.

When the Baltic republics were overrun by the Soviet Union, the Borodino commanded the sea approaches, and sunk Finnish gunboats in the Winter War, too. Acquiring a fighting reputation in the Soviet Navy, only the Germans were surprised when the mighty Friedrich der Große was engaged and sunk by Borodino in 1942. Embarassed, and in a fury of retribution, the Seeluftstreitkrafte (Naval Air Arm of the Kriegsmarine) sent all available See Stukas and Heinkel He-211 heavy bombers to sink Borodino at her moorings two days later.