Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, an outstanding Russian naval officer, was born on June 16, 1797, into a large and impoverished family of retired provincial secretary Ivan Kazarsky. He received his primary education at a church school and then, at his uncle's suggestion, entered the Black Sea Navigator School in Nikolaev, becoming a cadet. His father, unable to provide anything but an honest name and love for his homeland, advised him with the words: "An honest name, Sasha, is the only thing I will leave you as an inheritance." Thus, Alexander left his home and began his service.

Being a modest young man, Kazarsky had almost no friends and devoted all his time to studying. His teachers, remarkable individuals, instilled in the cadets the best qualities of officers and spoke of glorious predecessors. On August 30, 1813, Kazarsky was enrolled as a midshipman in the Black Sea Fleet, and in 1814 he was promoted to ensign and assigned to the brigantine "Desna." Later, he served on the brigantine "Cleopatra." Both vessels transported cargo between Black Sea ports, but Kazarsky sought to go where combat operations were taking place. At his own request, he was transferred to the Danube Flotilla and led a squad of small rowing boats in Izmail.

Before departing for his new place of service, Alexander visited Dubrovno and found his childhood home in disrepair: his father had died, his sisters Praskovya and Ekaterina had married, his mother had returned to her homeland, and his sister Matryona had perished while fleeing from French soldiers during the 1812 war. Now he was left alone.

In 1819, Kazarsky was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the frigate "Eustathius," which sailed to Sevastopol. Here he served under Admiral Ivan Skalovsky, whom he regarded as his idol. In the Black Sea Fleet, Kazarsky underwent command training and acquired skills that would be useful to him in the future.

During his service in the Black Sea Fleet, Kazarsky changed several ships. In 1828, he became the commander of the transport vessel "Sopernik," participated in troop landings, and delivered armaments. The ship also took part in the bombardment of the Anapa fortress. Due to its ability to navigate shallow waters, Kazarsky conducted targeted fire on enemy fortifications for three weeks. Despite the powerful return fire from Ottoman cannons, the vessel made a significant contribution to the victory.

For the capture of the Anapa fortress, Kazarsky was promoted to captain-lieutenant, and for his feat during the capture of the Varna fortress, he was awarded the gold Georgievsky saber "For Courage." The following year, he became the commander of the brig "Mercury," where he achieved a famous victory over two Turkish line ships.

The legendary battle of the brig "Mercury" took place on May 26, 1829. On that day, while patrolling the exit from the Bosphorus straits, the brig encountered a Turkish squadron. Engaging in battle would have been tantamount to death, and the squadron commander decided to retreat. However, Kazarsky's brig was the slowest and was soon caught by the Turks. Finding himself alone against two line ships, "Mercury" accepted the unequal fight. At an officers' meeting, it was decided to fight to the end, and the last surviving crew member was instructed to blow up the brig.

At half-past two in the afternoon, the Turks approached within firing range, and their shells began to hit the sails and rigging of "Mercury." Kazarsky, sitting on the quarterdeck, did not allow firing to conserve ammunition. This caused confusion among the crew, but Kazarsky encouraged the sailors and ordered to open fire.

The first to attack was the Turkish ship "Selimie," armed with 110 cannons. Kazarsky sounded the battle alarm, and "Mercury" dodged the first salvo, returning fire. A few minutes later, another Turkish ship, "Real-bey," approached the port side, and the brig found itself trapped between two enemy ships. The Turks demanded surrender, but in response, a loud "hurrah" rang out from the brig, and the Russian sailors opened fire.

By six o'clock, successful shots managed to damage the Turkish ships, forcing them to cease their pursuit. The brig "Mercury" safely returned to the Black Sea Fleet's base. As a result of the four-hour battle, the ship sustained 319 damages, but the crew miraculously survived.

The story of the "Mercury"'s feat was reported to Nicholas I, and all participants in the battle were awarded. Kazarsky was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank and awarded the Order of Saint George 4th class. In 1839, a monument was erected to him in Sevastopol, initiated by Admiral Mikhail Lazarev. The funds for the monument were donated by the residents of Sevastopol and sailors of the fleets.

After his feat, Kazarsky was appointed commander of the frigate "Pospeshny" and participated in the capture of Mossemvria. Soon he became captain of the frigate "Tenedos," with which he patrolled the Bosphorus several times. In 1830, Kazarsky visited England and conveyed congratulations from Nicholas II to King William IV. The following year, he was promoted to captain of the 1st rank and transferred to the Emperor's suite.

In 1833, Kazarsky was sent to Nikolaev to investigate corruption in rear offices. Upon arriving in the city, he was robbed and soon passed away. The investigation into his death was conducted under the supervision of the chief of the gendarmerie corps, Benkendorf. The main theory was poisoning to conceal service crimes. However, the investigation could not identify the criminals, and it was presumed that Kazarsky was poisoned with arsenic.

Hundreds of people, including his subordinates and friends, gathered for Kazarsky's funeral. He helped many, and his kindness was well-known. Among his friends were Pushkin, Vyazemsky, and other prominent figures. The memory of Kazarsky is immortalized in the names of streets and in a poem by Denis Davydov. Several modern Russian ships bear his name, preserving the memory of his feats.