[2] In March 2017, Spasatel Vasily Bekh was one of four Project 22870 tugs assigned to the Black Sea Fleet, the others being Professor Nikolay Muru, Capitan Guryev, and SB-742.

[2] On 17 June 2022, Spasatel Vasily Bekh was carrying personnel, weapons, and ammunition to resupply Russian-occupied Snake Island in the Black Sea.

Spasatel Vasily Bekh was struck by two Harpoon anti-ship missiles donated by Denmark in quick succession, causing it to sink shortly thereafter.

[6] Shortly after the sinking on 21 June, British military intelligence confirmed the attack, stating that the vessel sunk was almost certainly Spasatel Vasily Bekh, and that it was carrying a Tor anti-aircraft missile system when it sank.

[7] In June 2023 the erection of a memorial at Sevastopol was reported by Russian exile medium Meduza, although the navy never officially admitted the loss of the vessel.