The 14-gun steamship Meteor was built at the Nikolaev Admiralty Shipyard on the initiative of Admiral Alexey Greig. The design, prepared by Colonel Ilya Razumov of the Corps of Naval Engineers, followed early paddle-steamer principles, combining a wooden hull with a side-wheel propulsion system and auxiliary sail rigging.

Meteor saw combat during the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829. On May 6, 1828, as part of the Black Sea Fleet squadron under Greig’s command, the vessel supported the landing at Anapa, using its artillery to cover the assault on the fortress.

Despite its pioneering role, Meteor had a limited operational lifespan and was dismantled at Nikolaev in 1839.

After Meteor, Russian steamship construction developed gradually. In the 1830s–1840s, the navy commissioned additional paddle steamers—primarily for dispatch, towing, and coastal operations—in both the Black Sea and Baltic fleets. These vessels remained auxiliary to sailing ships but introduced standardized marine engines and improved boiler systems.

By the early 1850s, Russia had begun adopting screw propulsion, which offered greater efficiency and protection compared to exposed paddle wheels. During the Crimean War, the Russian fleet fielded a mix of sailing ships and steam-powered units.

In the 1860s, Russian naval construction shifted decisively toward steam, with the introduction of ironclads and armored floating batteries, marking the transition from experimental steam propulsion to a fully modernized, engine-driven navy.

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