"Britomart" was nominated in August 1941 for detached service in North Russia, carrying out sweeping duties to ensure the safe passage of Russian convoys to and from Iceland. Her sisters HMS "Gossamer", "Leda" and "Hussar" were nominated at the same time, and ordered to join HMS "Halcyon", "Harrier" and "Salamander", which were already at Archangel. After preparing for Arctic service they sailed for Iceland in September and on 29 September they joined convoy PQ 1 with the cruiser HMS "Suffolk". The convoy arrived at Archangel on 11 October and the flotilla commenced their Russian deployment. Between October 1941 and January 1942 "Britomart" was engaged in sweeping operations in the Barents Sea, ensuring the safe movement of traffic in and out of the ports of Archangel and Murmansk. On 7 February she joined "Sharpshooter" in escorting the inward bound convoys PQ 9 and PQ 10 until their arrival in Murmansk on 10 February. On 13 February they joined the return convoy QP 7 through the Barents Sea, before being detached on 15 February and returning to Murmansk.