In August 1937, the High Command of the Soviet Navy presented an updated plan for the construction of warships that included the construction of light cruisers of a new class. A project codenamed 68 was approved in 1939. Twenty-six cruisers were planned to be built according to it. Lead ship Chapayev was laid down in October 1939, but the construction was suspended with the outbreak of war. Later, Chapayev was completed under a revised project and became part of the Baltic Fleet in 1950, where she served for eight years.