Chervona Ukraina was bombed and sunk by dive bombers in November during one of these missions and Krasny Kavkaz was badly damaged by the same type of aircraft in January 1942.

After her lengthy repairs were completed, the ship transported reinforcements to cities on the Black Sea coast during the Battle of the Caucasus.

The ships were essentially enlarged versions of the Svetlana-class cruisers, modified after consultations with the Scottish firm of John Brown & Company.

At full capacity, she could steam for 1,200 nautical miles (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) at a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).

[1] Admiral Nakhimov was run aground by the dock workers while fitting-out in Nikolayev later in 1919 to prevent her use by the Whites.

[4] Admiral Nakhimov was renamed Chervona Ukraina, (Червона Украина – Red Ukraine) on 26 December 1922 by the Soviets and completed on 21 March 1927.

[9] Admiral Lazarev was renamed Krasnyi Kavkaz (Красный Кавказ – Red Caucasus) on 14 December 1926.

While under repair at Poti in late 1942 she landed her aft pair of torpedo tubes and received two more Minizini mounts salvaged from the sunken Chervona Ukraina.

[12] The light cruiser Komintern collided with Krasnyi Kavkaz in May 1932, shortly after she was commissioned, and badly damaged her bow.

Both ships made port visits to Turkey, Greece and Italy before World War II.

[14][15] Chervona Ukraina, in company with Krasnyi Kavkaz, Komintern and a number of destroyers, laid down a defensive minefield protecting the Black Sea Fleet base at Sevastopol on 22 June 1941.

[19] Chervona Ukraina was hit three times by bombs from German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers on 12 November 1941, but didn't sink until the next day after her crew was ordered to abandon her.

[21] During the Kerch-Feodosiya Operation the ship sailed into the harbor of Feodosiya on 29 December 1941, landed reinforcements, and provided gunfire support for Soviet troops already ashore.

On the night of 4 February 1943 the Soviets made a series of amphibious landings to the west of Novorossiysk, behind German lines.

Krasnyi Kavkaz provided fire support for the main landing, but the Soviet troops there were wiped out by 6 February.

[24] The loss of three destroyers attempting to interdict the German evacuation of the Taman Bridgehead on 6 October 1943 caused Stalin to forbid the deployment of large naval units without his express permission and this meant the end of the ship's active participation in the war.