Name Z33 Decommissioned Late April 1945 Commissioned 1946 Length 127 m | Commissioned 6 February 1943 Name Provornyy Decommissioned 22 April 1955 | |
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Z33 was a German Narvik-class destroyer that saw service during World War II. She was commissioned in the Kriegsmarine in February 1943 and served in Norwegian waters until March 1945. She was decommissioned from the Kriegsmarine in late April 1945 but was handed over to the Soviet Union in December that year. She subsequently served with Soviet Navy as Provornyy until April 1955 when she was converted to an accommodation ship. She was badly damaged by a fire in 1960 and scrapped in 1962.
Service history
Z33 was commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 6 February 1943 and served in Norwegian waters from July that year. She took part in the German raid on Spitsbergen (Operation Zitronella) in September 1943 where she was damaged by a coastal battery. On 25 December 1943 she escorted the battleship Scharnhorst prior to her destruction in the Battle of the North Cape but did not take part in the battle itself. She remained in Norwegian waters during 1944 and early 1945. On 17 July 1944 Z33 was strafed by Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm fighters during the Operation Mascot attack on the battleship Tirpitz but only suffered superficial damage.
The destroyer departed for Germany on 5 February 1945, but ran aground in Brufjord two days later. While under tow to Trondheim she was damaged by the Allied "Black Friday" air raid on 9 February. Once repairs were completed she sailed for Swinemünde on 26 March 1945 and arrived there on 2 April. Due to Germany's shortage of fuel she saw no further combat and was decommissioned at Brunsbüttel in late April.
Following the war Z33 was handed over to the Soviet Union on 2 December 1945 as part of Germany's reparations. She subsequently served with the Red Banner Baltic Fleet from 1946 as Provornyy (“Nimble”). On 30 November 1954 she was transferred to training duties. Provornyy was relegated to an accommodation ship on 22 April 1955. During 1960 she was badly damaged by a fire and sank at her moorings. She was subsequently raised and later scrapped during 1962.