Part of the Black Sea Fleet, the vessel undertook friendly visits to Algeria, Greece, and Malta, at the last hosting a meeting between the Soviet and US leaders Mikhail Gorbachev and George H. W. Bush.

Defence against aircraft was provided by forty 4K33 OSA-M (SA-N-4 'Gecko') surface to air missiles which were launched from two sets of twin-arm ZIF-122 launchers.

[14] The vessel, named for a Russian word that can be translated as inquisitive, was commissioned on 30 November and joined the Black Sea Fleet.

[16] On 2 December the following year, the vessel hosted a meeting between the Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev and the US President George H. W. Bush in Valletta, Malta.

[13] On 31 March 1999, Pytlivy joined a Russian flotilla led by the cruisers Admiral Golovko and Kerch in a voyage through the Bosphorus into the Adriatic Sea.

The voyage was preceded by significant diplomatic activity with Turkey to ensure the smooth passage of the warships from the Black Sea.

Previously, they had to rely on members of the Baltic Fleet serving in the Mediterranean Sea due to restrictions imposed by Turkey transiting the strait under the Montreux Convention.

[22] 11 July 2005 found the vessel in Naples, Italy, taking part in a two-day visit that included welcoming Italian Navy sailors onboard.

[23] On 15 September the following year, the vessel joined the NATO Operation Active Endeavour, undertaking anti-terrorist patrols in the Mediterranean Sea.

[26] The fleet, which included the battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy, was ostensibly to protect Russian shipping from terrorism and piracy, and operated from a forward base in Tartus, Syria.