Two of the 32 ships built were armed patrol icebreakers with increased autonomy time and operating range that enabled them to patrol the western and eastern ends of the Northern Sea Route.

Fully laden, the vessels drew 6.3 metres (20.7 ft) of water and had a displacement of 3,350 tonnes (3,300 long tons).

Their three 1,800-horsepower (1,300 kW) 10-cylinder 13D100 two-stroke opposed-piston diesel engines were coupled to generators that powered electric propulsion motors driving two propellers in the stern and a third one in the bow.

The ship was named Peresvet after Alexander Peresvet, a Russian Orthodox warrior monk who died in a duel at the beginning of the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, and joined the 18th brigade of support vessels in the Soviet Navy Red Banner Northern Fleet.

[1] Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Peresvet was passed over to the Russian Navy on 26 July 1992.