in Lebanon. On April 23, 1861 he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral and was included into H.I.M.'s suite. Upon his return to Kronstadt, Shestakov was decorated with an Order of St. Stanislaus of 1st degree. On April 17, 1863 he was made assistant to Chief Commander of Kronstadt. In 1863–1864 - member of the Science and Shipbuilding Committee in Saint Petersburg. Governor of Taganrog Ivan Shestakov's civil service started in 1864. April 11, 1866 (Old Style) he was assigned to the post of the governor of Taganrog (1866–1868), still remaining within H.I.M.'s suite. Shestakov initiated the establishment of the first naval school in 1868 that opened later during governorship of Johan Hampus Furuhjelm in 1874. He planned to develop coastal trade on Azov Sea, promoting sales of Russian coal for steamers on Black Sea and Azov Sea; he tried to improve navigation on Azov Sea and Don River; introduced a brand new system of lighthouses in the shallow waters near Taganrog and along Azov Sea coast to replace old equipment. In Taganrog he introduced the new system of gas lighting throughout the city, establishing a new gas plant for this purpose. In 1883, considering his achievements, the citizens of Taganrog made Ivan Shestakov an honored citizen of Taganrog. Minister of the Russian Navy In 1868–1870- Governor of Vilno. In 1870 Ivan Shestakov gave his resignation, but in 1872 he served again as Naval Agent to Austria and Italy. In 1881 - President of the Shipbuilding Committee. In 1882 he was appointed Minister of the Russian Navy. Shestakov contributed a lot to rebirth of the Black Sea Fleet (1886) and strengthening the Baltic Fleet and Siberian Flotilla. He also introduced a new system of service for the naval officers and started a large-scale building of armored ships, including the armored cruisers Vladimir Monomakh and Admiral Nakhimov, and the Ekaterina II and Imperator Aleksandr II-class battleships. In 1888, Ivan Shestakov was promoted to the rank of the Imperial Russian Navy admiral. Ivan Shestakov died in Sevastopol on December 3, 1888. He was buried in Sevastopol in the Temple of Saint Vladimir. Places named after Shestakov Shestakov Island in the Barents Sea, near Novaya Zemlya; Shestakovsky Boulevard; a square in Taganrog named after Shestakov in 1885 during his visit as Minister of the Russian Navy to Taganrog; later the name was changed to Ukrainsky. Honours and awards Order of St. Alexander