A hydrographic survey ship is a vessel designed to conduct hydrographic research and survey. Nautical charts are produced from this information to ensure safe navigation by military and civilian shipping.

The Project 870 Kamenka-class small hydrographic vessels has a length of 53,4 m, a width of 9,4 m and a draft of 2,6 m. The vessel has a standard displacement of 590 tonnes and full load displacement of 680 tonnes. It has a maximum speed of 14 knots, range of 4000 nmi at 11 knots and an endurance of 14 days. The vessel is equipped with one Don navigation radar. The vessel is powered by two 960 hp diesels rotating two controllable pitch propellers, two 150 kW diesel generators and one 52 kW generator. The vessel has a crew of 26 and it can carry a research team.

Small hydrographic survey vesses of this project served on all fleets of the USSR and later - the Russian Federation. In total, 14 vessels of this type were built for the Navy.

Hydrographic Survey Vessel GS-78 laid down at the Stocznia Polnocna Shipyard, Gdansk, Poland (yard No.870/7), launched 25 November 1968, commissioned 26 March 1969 and was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet.

In 2017 the vessel was excluded from the lists of the Black Sea Fleet and scrapped in Temryuk in 2021.