The first two Project 7U destroyers completed by the Black Sea shipyards, "Smyshlyony" and "Soobrazitelny", joined the 3rd Destroyer Division, led by destroyer leaders and ', of the fleet Light Forces Detachment upon their entry into service at Sevastopol in late 1940 and early 1941. After the 22 June 1941 start of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, "Smyshlyony" and "Soobrazitelny" were tasked to support "Kharkov" and "Moskva" in the 26 June Raid on Constanța together with the cruiser '. A grounded paravane on "Smyshlyony" prevented her from rendezvousing on schedule, while "Soobrazitelny" became separated from the cruiser in the dark. Both destroyers helped escort the damaged "Kharkov" back to base. "Sposobny" and "Svobodny" joined the 3rd Division when they entered service during the war. All three destroyers in service were on escort duty in July and from late August they escorted transports and provided fire support to the defenders of besieged Odessa. "Sovershenny" never joined the fleet as she was heavily damaged by a Soviet mine during trials. "Soobrazitelny" was the only one of the five Project 7Us completed for the Black Sea Fleet to survive the war.