They were built in the 1950s and were based on Soviet, German, and Italian designs and concepts developed prior to the Second World War.

They were modified to improve their sea keeping capabilities, allowing them to run at high speed in the rough waters of the North Atlantic.

The basic hull was more modern and had better armor protection than the vast majority of the post Second World War gun cruiser designs built and deployed by peer nations.

[1] Sverdlov-class cruisers main armament included twelve 152 mm (6 in)/57 cal B-38 guns mounted in four triple Mk5-bis turrets.

[8] RI Irian arrived in Surabaya in October 1962 and later it was declared decommissioned from service by the Soviet Navy on 24 January 1963.

Another account from Hendro Subroto, an Indonesian war journalist, states that the ship was sold to Japan after being stripped of its weapons, despite the presence of two remaining spare parts warehouses in Tanjung Priok.