The vessel then subsequently undertook tracking of submarines in the Baltic, Black and Mediterranean Seas, and even travelled as far as Cuba, crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

The ship also visited friendly ports like Annaba in Algeria, Gdynia in Poland and Rostock in East Germany.

Bditelnyy was the first Project 1135 Burevestnik (Russian: Буревестник, "Petrel") Large Anti-Submarine Ship (Большой Противолодочный Корабль, BPK) laid down.

[13] The crew arrived, led by Captain of the Third Rank Gennady Mikhailovich Generalov, on 5 October and the flag was first raised on 5 December.

[14] On 16 March 1971, the ship joined the 128th Brigade of the Baltic Fleet and, later that month undertook test firing of the Metel, although not all weapons were operational until 30 September.

On 4 August, the ship hosted General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev and Admiral of the Fleet Sergey Gorshkov, the latter who returned again later in the year.

[15] Between 18 June and 29 November 1972, the vessel joined sistership Bodryy, newly commissioned, as part of Task Force KUG-1 in the Mediterranean Sea.

Bditelnyy then returned to the Baltic Sea, participating in Baltika-78 between 28 June and 7 August 1978, and visiting Rostock, East Germany, between 3 and 10 October the following year.

The vessel revisited Havana and spent time in Cienfuegos, as well as taking part in joint manoeuvres with the Cuban Revolutionary Navy.

The ship then returned to the Baltic, escorting the Project 1143 Krechyet aircraft carrier Kiev, between 24 July and 1 August 1983.

With the end of the Cold War, the ship undertook an official visit to Antwerp, Belgium, between 6 and 25 June 1991 and at the dissolution of the Soviet Union, joined the Russian Navy.