In 1940, then-"Konteradmiral" (Rear Admiral) Feige was placed in command of the operation to transfer the unfinished to the Soviet Union. The "Kriegsmarine" provided an escort of destroyers and other vessels to protect the ship from Allied attack. Upon arrival, Feige led an advisory team that was to help the Soviets complete the ship, though the ship, which had been renamed "Petropavlovsk", was still under construction when Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941. Feige had helped to delay the transfer of materials from Germany to complete the ship, in anticipation of Germany's eventual attack.