Night action at the Battle of Jutland Hipper succeed in sinking two British battlecruisers during the chase. Once the German fleet came in sight, the British ships reversed course, now intending to lead the German fleet in pursuit of them back towards the main British fleet. Despite minimal information, Admiral John Jellicoe managed to deploy his ships to good advantage across the path of the approaching German fleet, so that some success was gained in the short battle before the Germans in turn reversed course and withdrew. Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer was now in a difficult position, because his smaller force was cut off from Germany by the
Admiral of the fleet (Soviet Union) since then. As of February 2013 the smaller marshal's star has been instituted on fleet admiral shoulder boards - equivalent of general of the army. As of February 2013 there are no active duty Russian Navy officers holding that rank. According to Kuznetsov, the rank was conferred on him by Joseph Stalin in May 1944. In 1948 Kuznetsov was demoted two grades to the rank of rear admiral. Soon before Stalin's death, however, Kuznetsov was again restored as a fleet admiral and was among the two admirals to receive the rank of fleet admiral of the Soviet Union upon its