Having decided to build the large and expensive 40kn destroyer leaders, the Soviet Navy sought Italian assistance in designing smaller and cheaper destroyers. They licensed the plans for the and, in modifying it for their purposes, overloaded a design that was already somewhat marginally stable.[4]
The Gnevnys had an overall length of 112.8m (370.1feet), a beam of 10.2m (33.5feet), and a draft of 4.8m (15.7feet) at deep load. The ships were significantly overweight, almost 2000NaN0 heavier than designed, displacing 1612MT at standard load and 2039MT at deep load. Their crew numbered 197 officers and sailors in peacetime and 236 in wartime.[5] The ships had a pair of geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller, rated to produce 48000shp using steam from three water-tube boilers which was intended to give them a maximum speed of .[6] The designers had been conservative in rating the turbines and many, but not all, of the ships handily exceeded their designed speed during their sea trials. Others fell considerably short of it. Gremyashchy reached during trials in 1942. Variations in fuel oil capacity meant that the range of the Gnevnys varied between 1670nmi3145nmi at . Gremyashchy herself demonstrated a range of 1670nmi at that speed.[7]
As built, the Gnevny-class ships mounted four 130adj=onNaNadj=on B-13 guns in two pairs of superfiring single mounts fore and aft of the superstructure. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by a pair of 76.2sp=usNaNsp=us 34-K AA guns in single mounts and a pair of 45mm 21-K AA guns[8] as well as two 12.7mm DK or DShK machine guns. They carried six torpedo tubes in two rotating triple mounts; each tube was provided with a reload. The ships could also carry a maximum of either 60 or 95 mines and 25 depth charges. They were fitted with a set of Mars hydrophones for anti-submarine work, although they were useless at speeds over .[9] The ships were equipped with two K-1 paravanes intended to destroy mines and a pair of depth-charge throwers.[10]
Built in Leningrad's Shipyard No. 190 (Zhdanov) as yard number 514, Gremyashchy was laid down on 23 July 1936, launched on 12 August 1937. The ship was completed on 28 August 1938[11] and was commissioned into the Baltic Fleet two days later.[12]
During the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland, Gremyashchy was assigned to performing patrol duties and escorting transport ships, and did not participate in any battles.
Following the entry of the Soviet Union into World War II, she was moved to Vaenga by order of the commander of the fleet, and began her first patrols on 24 June 1941, escorting the transport ships Mossovet and Tsiolkovskiy from Murmansk to Titovka. On 22 August 1941, alongside destroyers Uritsky, Kuibyshev and Gromkiy, Gremyashchy protected the damaged depot ship Maria Ulyanova after she was hit by a torpedo attack from a German submarine. At the same time, Gremyashchy repelled a German air attack, shooting down one aircraft in the process.
During the evening of 24 and 25 November 1941, she fired eighty-nine 130 mm shells at the Norwegian port of Vardø, alongside destroyer and the British light cruiser . From 24 to 28 January 1942, she participated in escorting Convoy QP 6, and was held for repairs for the 15 days following 5 February 1942. On 21 February 1942, she shelled enemy positions from Ara on the Kola Peninsula near the Barents Sea. Later in March, she took part in escorting convoys QP 8 and PQ 12. While escorting Convoy QP 9 on 22 March 1942, a severe storm damaged the upper deck, boiler casing and drinking water pipeline of the ship.
On 29 March, Gremyashchy and the destroyer were escorting Convoy PQ 13 when they came under fire from, and opened fire in retaliation; Sokrushitelny was able to damage the boiler room of Z26, however due to poor visibility the German destroyer was able to escape. Later, German destroyers and began attacking British ships, however were fired upon by, Gremyashchy and Sokrushitelny, and eventually were sunk.[13]
On 30 March 1942 Gremyashchy detected an unidentified enemy submarine and released twelve depth charges.[14] During April 1942, she was involved with escorting convoys QP 10, PQ 14 and QP 11. On 30 April, she accompanied the damaged, however was forced to return to base on 1 May due to a lack of fuel. She attempted to return to HMS Edinburgh on 2 May after being re-supplied, however by then Edinburgh had already sunk. On 5–6 May, she participated in escorting Convoy PQ 15.
On 8 May 1942, Gremyashchy provided fire support for troop landings at Cape Pikshuev, and on 23 August, accompanied a detachment of warships at Kola Bay alongside Sokrushitelny. Between 25 and 27 August, she escorted the transport ship Dixon to Belushya Guba. Later during 17–20 September, she participated in Convoy PQ 18. She was then held for repairs from 16 January 1943 to 29 April 1943.
In 1943 she took part in 18 escort missions within the Arctic Sea region. On 12 October 1943, the cargo ship Marina Raskova lost steering control as a result of stormy weather, and was towed by Gremyashchy. On 29 October, Gremyashchy was struck by the anchor of transport ship Kanin and required emergency repairs.[14] During 8–12 November, she participated in escorting Convoy BC 21, and later stood for repairs between 19 November 1943 and January 15, 1944.
During 21–22 January, Gremyashchy took part in an unsuccessful interception mission against an enemy convoy near Makkur. From 27 January to 3 October, she took part in 17 escort missions. On 9 October, Gremyashchy and Gromky provided support for a troop landing operation, and on the 10th and 11th the same month shelled German troop positions at the river near Titovka. Participated in a bombardment of the Norwegian towns of Vardø and Vadsø on 26 October, during the Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive. Norwegian fishing boat Spurven was sunk at Vardo. After a series of seven escort missions between 16 October and 8 December, Gremyashchy began an overhaul at Molotovsk Factory No. 402 on 14 December 1944.[15]