Hello, Marty!
Thanks a lot for the informative reply!
Just would like to post some info I know about 10 cargo-passenger icebreaking ships of "Anadyr" type in addition to your info.
About "Stalingrad" and "Suchan" I`ve already written several days ago. I found an additional info about "Suchan" that the ship participated in rescue operation of the DGMP (Far-Eastern State Steamship Company) steamer "Syasstroj" in summer 1936 (steamer "Syasstroj" with 1090 workers from fish-works on board ran into the reef). "Suchan" was really arrested as the provocation against Soviets by Japan for three months in 1936, some secret NKVD documents (ship transported them between ports) on board were eliminated by the responsible person before capturing the ship, and that saved several lives of accused persons.
What about the rest ships of the type:
"Anadyr" - the ship (together with “Suchan” and “Sever” of the same type) participated in North-East polar expedition 1932-1933. “Anadyr” made in 1935 the navigation from Soviet Far-Eastern port Vladivostok to Belgian Antwerp (not only to Soviet Murmansk) through the North Sea Route (first time in the world). GUSMP - State Administration of North Sea Route. In 1936 participated in the North navigation with two Soviet destroyers + 2 tankers + ice-breaking ship “F. Litke” from Arkhangelsk to Vladivostok (destroyers relocated from Baltic Fleet to Pacific Fleet). During WWII - military transport in Arctic and Pacific Oceans, several times was stopped for short inspections by Japanese destroyers and patrol boats (exactly in Korea Strait 02.42, also in 1944 in La Pérouse Strait). Interesting fact, I could find - during the Japanese sea inspections crewmembers often listen through ship’s dynamics (very loud!) the song “Varyag” about the famous Russian cruiser of the Russian-Japanese war (1905) period. So Japanese captains tried to finish the inspections as soon as possible

. In 1943 “Anadyr” could successfully avoid the attack of German submarine in Kara Sea.
“Khabarovsk” - I wrote that it was sunk in 1945. That was mistake 8) . “Khabarovsk” only evacuated crewmembers of the cargo ship “Transbalt”, torpedoed by US submarine, from Japanese ports to Soviet Vladivostok in July 1945. After WWII “Khabarovsk” was reequipped into passenger ship and used by KChGMP (Kamchatka State Ship Company) till 1960s (Petropavlovsk-Palana, Petropavlovsk-Pakhacha routes).
“Saratov” - during WWII the ship served as the submarine tender (4th brigade of submarines, Petropavlovsk Naval Base). “Saratov” became a submarine tender of Pacific Fleet (1st brigade of submarines, consisting of 3 divisions of medium submarines) in November 1933, so it was almost never used as civil cargo-passenger ice-breaking ship, but played a significant role in establishing of Soviet submarine fleet in Pacific.
Since 20 April 1934 “Saratov” belonged to the 2nd brigade of submarines.
14 November, 1934 the new unit was created - mixed squadron of submerged run (base Nakhodka, 1.5 divisions of submarines), and “Saratov” was given to that unit for the submarine`s crews supply and training.
26 March, 1935 that unit was dismissed and new was created - mixed squadron of submerged run of 2 divisions, including the submarine tender “Saratov”.
29 April, 1935 the 3rd brigade of medium submarines was created in Pacific Fleet, including “Saratov”.
9 July, 1938 “Saratov” with the submarines of 31st division moved from Nakhodka base to Sovgavan base.
14 August, 1938 - “Saratov” was given to the 4th brigade of submarines.
During the Soviet-Japanese military conflict at Khasan Lake (1938) submarine tender “Saratov” together with several submarines of L-type moved to the North of the Pacific Ocean, because of absence of submarine naval bases there.
In December 1945 “Saratov” transported captured Japanese soldiers from Korea to Soviet Nakhodka port, also several dozens of captured Japanese cars, equipment. During that navigation an extremely strong storm 12 on Richter scale happened. Firm hull of ice-breaking ship withstood, but all cars and equipment, transported on the deck, were lost because of the great waves. Japanese prisoners survived as they were transported inside the holds.
“Smolensk” - almost the same info as yours. “Smolensk” with seven reconnaissance aircrafts R-5 and U-2, also with snowmobiles on board participated in the world famous rescue operation of the polar expedition members and crew from “Cheluskin” ice-breaking ship, destroyed by strong polar ice (1934). “Stalingrad” of the same type with two flying boats Sh-2 on board participated in that rescue operation also.
Unfortunately, you didn`t mention this, but it was very important event in the ship`s “career” as me seems. During WWII - tender of torpedo boats (since 8.12.1941, Pacific Fleet), since 22.11.1942 - submarine tender. 6000 t, range 4032 miles, 132 men crew. Since November 1956 - renamed as “PKZ-89” and used as floating barracks, scrapped 10.02.1965.
“Sever” - it is quite hard to find any info about this ship, also there were several medium and large Soviet ships under such name as well as the huge amount of small ships. Also it is difficult to make a search in Internet using the name “Sever”.
I only know that “Sever” (also “Anadyr”, “Suchan” and “Smolensk” of the same type) was used by Far-East North Route before WWII. “Sever” (+ “Anadyr” and “Suchan”) participated in the special North-East Polar Expedition in 1932-1933, “Sever” and “Anadyr” stayed for the second wintering because of strong polar ices.
There is no such name in the list of Soviet transport ships losses of WWII. I believe that from 10 ships of the “Anadyr”-type only “Stalingrad” was lost during the war.
Many sources mention the submarine tender “Sever” since 1939 (Petropavlovsk Naval Base of Pacific Fleet - the same base where “Saratov” served). Another sources give the info that "Sever" was given to Pacific Fleet 07.1941. In 1945 submarine tender “Sever” (belonged to 4th brigade of submarines) participated in the war with Japan. Sailors from “Saratov” as well as from many other vessels formed the battalions of marine infantry for landing operations against Japanese positions at Kuril Islands, boatswain from “Saratov” N. Vilkov became the hero when exploded himself by grenades near the Japanese MG bunker in Shumshu Island, destroying it, and cleaned the way for attacking marines. You wrote that “Sever” could served as tender in North Fleet, not Pacific - is this not a mistake?
“Sverdlovsk” - I know only that ice-breaking cargo-passenger ship “Sverdlovsk” was used in 1930s at North Sea Route. In October 1933 the ship together with cargo ship “Lieutenant Schmidt” was stopped by strong polar ice and wintered to preserve coal for steam-engine, but month later both ships could continue navigation. Near the same time (November 1933- February 1934) and near the same place ice-breaking ship “Cheluskin” with polar expedition on board was crushed by ice and famous rescue operation of 1930s began, in which “Stalingrad” and “Smolensk” participated (see above). “Sverdlovsk” participated in rescue operation of the same type “Sakhalin” (fire onboard, see below) in 1933 in Okhotsk Sea. About service of “Sverdlovsk” as submarine tender since 1941 (Pacific Fleet, TF) I have no info.
“Sakhalin” - I wrote that the ship, was, probably, sunk during WWII. That was a mistake as “Sakhalin” participated only in the transportation of survived crewmembers of the torpedoed cargo ship “Pavlin Vinogradov” from USA hospitals back to USSR in June 1944

. “Sakhalin” served as cargo-passenger ship (up to 542 passengers) at Far East, Pacific Ocean in 1930s. 12 January, 1933 the ship made the navigation from Vladivostok to Sakhalin with passengers, including the members of Kamchatka Drama Theatre and suddenly the strong fire onboard began. Three days crewmembers and passengers fought with fire, and only 15 January two ships (including “Sverdlovsk”) began the rescue operation under strong typhoon. “Sakhalin” was “famous” also as the ship, transported political prisoners inside the holds for construction the new Magadan port since February 1932, also the ship transported NKVD inspectors and the management of “Dalstroy” (Far East Construction Engineering Company). "Sakhalin" was given to Kamchatka steamship company in 1958.
I already posted here some photo links of “Sakhalin”, so this is a repeat:
http://kolyma-info.ru/data/media/11/old_sax.jpg (Magadan port, 1932)
http://magda2004.narod.ru/Hist/hpar.jpg (Magadan port, 1932)
“Krasnaya Gazeta” - yes, the ship was reequipped as submarine tender “Kronshtadt” for Baltic Fleet. I found an info that “Kronstadt” was moved from Kronstadt naval base to Paldiski (Estonia, where the new Soviet naval base was established) in October 1939 before the Winter War. The ship belonged to the 3rd brigade of submarines (17 submarines, tenders “Kronstadt”, “Oka”). Marty, just small note: Kronstadt is the well-known name of the Soviet naval base (Baltic Fleet), not “Khronstadt” (!).
Interesting, that many ships of that type were converted into submarine tenders. The reasons were, probably, that “Anadyr”-type ships were developed as universal cargo-passenger ships with good operational range for Far-Eastern routes; they had ice-breaking hull; four convenient holds, which were possible to use for storage of torpedoes, different equipment, ammunition and supplies (all ships of that type had also big refrigerator compartment in addition to holds); also crewmembers from the submarines had good rest in the comfortable state-cabins and tween decks (equipped with bi-level berths).
Regards, BIGpanzer
PS. Tomorrow I will post the data from my sources about amount of Soviet merchant ships before WWII as well as about their exact losses during the war. I think my info is quite comparable with yours but some of my data include also small vessels (less than 900 t). I found in my library several books of 1930s with the description of types and amount of merchant ships of main maritime powers, including Great Britain, USA, USSR, France, Italy, etc.