"Z4 Richard Beitzen" took part in the preliminaries of Operation Rösselsprung, an attempt to intercept Arctic convoy PQ 17 in July. "Admiral Scheer" and "Lützow" formed one group while "Tirpitz" and "Admiral Hipper" composed another. While en route to the rendezvous at the Altafjord, "Lützow" and three destroyers ran aground, forcing the entire group to abandon the operation. "Z4 Richard Beitzen", in the meantime escorted two oil tankers to the Altafjord on 2–3 July. During Operation Wunderland in August, "Z4 Richard Beitzen", "Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt" and "Z15 Erich Steinbrinck" escorted "Admiral Scheer" at the beginning and end of its mission to attack Soviet shipping in the Kara Sea. The ships also escorted the minelayer as it departed to lay a minefield off Cape Zhelaniya in mid-August. On 13–15 October, "Z4 Richard Beitzen", "Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt" and the destroyers and laid a minefield off the Kanin Peninsula at the mouth of the White Sea that sank the . Three weeks later, the same four destroyers escorted "Admiral Hipper" as she attempted to intercept Allied merchant ships proceeding independently to Soviet ports in early November.