On 22 June 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, and as a response the Baltic Fleet laid minefields in the Gulf of Finland, with "Artem" sailing from Tallinn as part of a minelaying force that also included the destroyers , , and and the minelayers "Marti" and "Ural". On 2 August 1941, "Artem" was unsuccessfully attacked by the German motor-torpedo boats "S-55" and "S-58" in the Gulf of Riga. On 21 August, "Artem" and unsuccessfully attacked German transports in the Gulf of Riga. By August 1941, Tallinn was surrounded by German troops, with the Germans launching a final assault on the city on 19 August. The Soviet evacuation of Tallinn began on 27 August, with 190 ships being split between four convoys bound for Kronstadt, with "Artem" forming part of the covering force. On the night of 28/29 August, the convoys encountered dense minefields off Cape Juminda. "Artem" was sunk by a mine during that night, as were the destroyers , , "Kalinin" and "Voldarsky", three submarines, three minesweepers and thirteen transports.