On October 6, 1943, a tragedy occurred off the coast of Crimea when German aviation sank Soviet ships: the destroyer 'Kharkov' and the destroyers 'Bespokoyny' and 'Sposobny.' As a result of this attack, 780 sailors lost their lives. The squadron, led by Captain 2nd Rank Georgy Negoda, left Tuapse on the evening of October 5 with the aim of disrupting enemy maritime communications along the southern coast of Crimea and shelling the ports of Feodosia and Yalta. However, during the night, they were detected by German reconnaissance planes, marking the beginning of tragic events.

Soviet fighters attempted to prevent the attack, but around 9 a.m., German Ju-87 bombers struck. As a result of the attack, all three Soviet ships were sunk. Among the dead was the commander of 'Kharkov,' Captain 2nd Rank Pyotr Shevchenko. This event was a serious blow to the Black Sea Fleet, and the High Command characterized the operation as a failure that led to unnecessary loss of life and the loss of three major combat ships.

After this tragic incident, large surface ships of the Black Sea Fleet virtually ceased to participate in raid operations until the end of the war. The loss of such significant forces impacted the fleet's strategy, which was forced to reassess its actions and focus on other aspects of warfare. This case became one of many examples of how crucial intelligence and protection against air attacks are in maritime operations.