[1] The patrol ship variant, Project 97P (Russian: 97П), was developed as a response to the renewed interest of the Soviet Navy and Soviet Border Troops on icebreaking patrol vessels after United States Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers began appearing more frequently near the country's northern maritime borders.

Fully laden, the vessels draw 6.5 metres (21.3 ft) of water and have a displacement of 3,710 tonnes (3,650 long tons).

Their three 1,800-horsepower (1,300 kW) 10-cylinder 13D100 two-stroke opposed-piston diesel engines are coupled to generators that power electric propulsion motors driving two propellers in the stern.

[1] The final Project 97P patrol ships was laid down at Admiralty Shipyard in Leningrad on 22 April 1980, launched on 3 July 1981, and delivered on 25 December 1981.

[2] The ship was named Imeni XXVI syezda KPSS 26th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and entered service with the maritime unit of the KGB Border Troops in Murmansk.