what is a?

Google is your friend!!!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperatritsa_Mariya-class_battleship

Cheers,

Brian

A quick overview of the lead ship of its class:

-Built back when Russia was still in "Empire" mode (which it wouldn't be in a while)

-Caught on fire

-Explod

-Hauled the hull back to dock

-Communisti revolution happened so the hull sat and rusted for a while

-Communisti decide that the ship's not worth salvaging and scrap it.