The
Fizik Kurchatov keel was laid down at the
Kherson Shipyard on 20 March 1961. By that time, the shipyard had built seven of her
sister ships. The ship was completed in June 1962 Other sources say that the ship was built in May and delivered to the Black Sea Shipping Company after this voyage. Some sources say that the
Fizik Kurchatov maiden voyage began before 25 July, when 1,131 tons of general cargo and trucks were loaded on her main deck. Although she sailed from Odessa with
Ghana her declared destination, she arrived in Cuba on 7 August. Her second voyage reportedly began in September 1962, when she loaded 9,500 tons of general cargo (including portions of a missile division) and sailed from Odesa.
Oran, an Algerian port, was declared her destination but she arrived in Cuba. The
Fizik Kurchatov left Cuba on 7 November 1962, and was photographed by
U.S. reconnaissance planes during her return to the Soviet Union. She returned six canvas-covered missiles, which had been aimed at the United States, to the USSR on her open main deck.
1973 Arab–Israeli War The
Yom Kippur War, also known as the
Ramadan War, the October War and the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, was fought by a coalition of Arab states led by
Egypt and
Syria against
Israel from 6 to 25 October 1973. At least twenty-three Soviet merchant ships carried military cargoes to Syria and Egypt in October and November 1973, including eight
Leninsky Komsomol-class cargo ships; the
Fizik Kurchatov among them. According to U.S. intelligence, the
Fizik Kurchatov made three voyages from Soviet Black Sea ports to Syria and Egypt between October and November 1973: • Transited the
Bosphorus on 9 October and arrived in
Alexandria three days later, on 12 October 1973. • Sailed from the USSR to Syria, transiting the Bosphorus on 23 October and arriving in
Latakia two days later, on 25 October. • Transited the Bosphorus on 10 November and arrived in Alexandria on 13 November 1973.
Ethiopian cargo The
Fizik Kurchatov delivered P-205 and P-206, two
Zhuk-class patrol boats, to
Ethiopia in October 1982 when the Soviet Union supplied the African country's new fleet. ==Fate==