Arriving at the end of 1988, by 23 February 1989, she escorted six convoys of 15 ships (where the commander of the navigational combat unit, Lieutenant-Commander Alexander Marchenko, distinguished himself).

From August 1990 to February 1991, the Admiral Zakharov performed combat service in the South China Sea region, temporarily based on Cam Ranh.

On 17 February 1992, at 11 hours 42 minutes (local time),[4] at the transition to Vladivostok (in the Ussuri Bay, 7.4 kilometers from Cape Sysoev),[5] in the aft engine room of the Admiral Zakharov there was an explosion of a gas turbine plant,[6] which caused a volumetric fire (due to exceeding the maximum speed of the propeller (TV) turbine of the afterburner, it was destroyed and fragments scattered throughout the aft engine room.

[7] Repair of the Admiral Zakharov, which almost completely burned out the aft engine room, was deemed inexpedient, and the ship was written off and placed in 2nd category reserve.

On 29 September 1994, she was put into dock In Vladivostok for welding to prepare her for the upcoming transfer to the military property sales department for final disposal.