The ship's bow was blown off by a mine in the Gulf of Riga during the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa, but she made it to Kronstadt for repairs.

Despite being trapped, Maxim Gorky was active in two engagements: the ship provided gunfire in support for the defenders during the Siege of Leningrad, and she later bombarded Finnish positions during the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive in mid-1944.

[1] Her steam turbines produced a total of 129,750 shaft horsepower (96,750 kW) during her sea trials and propelled the ship to a maximum speed of 36.72 knots (68.01 km/h; 42.26 mph).

The ship, and her escorts, ran into the German-laid "Apolda" minefield in the Gulf of Riga while providing cover for Soviet defensive mining efforts on 23 June 1941 and Maxim Gorky and the destroyer Gnevny both lost their bows, although Gorky made it to port where temporary repairs were made.

The cruiser was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on 22 March for her "exemplary fulfillment of combat missions" and the "courage and valor" demonstrated by her crew.

Maxim Gorky was repeatedly, if lightly, damaged by German air and artillery attacks,[8] but her only extended refit occurred over the winter of 1942–43 when her upper deck was reinforced with 37-millimetre armour plates.

194 in mid-1953 and transferred to the ships of the Kronstadt Fortress on 16 June, leading the naval parade up the Neva River for Navy Day in July.

The navy re-evaluated the scope of the work in 1955 and deemed it insufficient to create a fully modern ship and suspended the refit.