1973 USSR Postage Stamp - Red Banner Cruiser Kirov

This is a 3-kopek Soviet postage stamp issued in 1973, part of a series commemorating famous warships of the Soviet Navy. The central illustration features the 'Red Banner Cruiser Kirov' (Krasnoznamyonnyy Kreyser Kirov) rendered in shades of steel blue and grey. The design includes the Cyrillic text 'ПОЧТА СССР' at the top left and 'КИРОВ' at the bottom right. A red five-pointed star with a ribbon is positioned in the upper right corner above the date '1973'. The stamp exhibits standard horizontal rectangular proportions with typical perforated edges. Physically, the item shows signs of postal use, notably a circular black cancellation ink mark on the left side, which obscures a portion of the illustration and the denomination. The paper shows a slight vertical curve and subtle toning consistent with age. There is some minor wear to the perforation tips at the top edge, though the overall structural integrity remains intact. The printing technique utilizes fine line work to detail the ship's superstructure and water, demonstrating the high-quality bureaucratic craftsmanship typical of mid-20th-century Soviet philately. It serves as a historical artifact of Cold War-era maritime propaganda and postal history.