As a result of the weakness of the Northern Fleet and the importance of the Arctic convoys of World War II, Stavka decided to transfer several modern ships from the Pacific to the Northern Fleet in May 1942; this was ordered by People's Commissar of the Navy Admiral Nikolay Kuznetsov on 18 June. "Razyaryonny" and her sisters and , together with the destroyer leader , were planned to be transferred to the Northern Fleet as the Expedition of Special Purpose (EON)-18, the first time that Soviet warships would use the Northern Sea Route to steam from east to west. "Razyaryonny" had her hull strengthened against ice during June and July, departing Vladivostok with EON-18 on 15 July. While in Providence Bay on 30 July, one of her screws grounded, severely damaging its blades. It was replaced by a spare from "Razumny" within a week, but her speed had to be reduced to due to vibrations from a bent propeller shaft. Resuming the journey, the expedition entered the Chukchi Sea, where on 17 August "Razyaryonny" became trapped between ice floes, needing to be extricated by the icebreakers "Mikoyan" and "Kaganovich". She was towed by "Baku" for most of the way from Ambarchik to Dikson, where her left screw was replaced and right screw removed. With only one screw the destroyer was still able to make . After the expedition reached Kola Bay on 14 October, "Razyaryonny" was placed in a floating dock at Cape Abram-Karg, where she was repaired by the beginning of 1943.