The Yurka class were a group of minesweepers built for the Soviet Navy and export customers between 1963 and 1970. The Soviet designation was Project 266 Aquamarine. A new seagoing minesweeper design was requested in 1957 to follow the T43 class minesweeper into the Soviet Navy. The design was approved in 1959 and entered service in 1963. Major improvements in mine detection and anti mine explosion protection were implemented. Magnetic, acoustic and electric signatures were reduced.

The hull was built of low magnetic steel, and was divided into nine water-tight compartments. The artillery weapons of the ship consisted of two 30-mm AK-230 guns.

The Yurka class ships are equipped with two diesel engines of 500 hp and two controllable pitch propellers. The minesweeper's full speed was 16 knots and up to 14 knots with one sweep. From 1964 to 1970 there were built more then 40 minesweepers.

Seagoing Minesweeper MT-223 laid down on 30 May 1967 at the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard, Pontonny (yard No.974), launched on 29 December 1967, commissioned on 12 June 1968 and assigned to the Black Sea Fleet.

From 13.08.1968 - Grigory Vakulenchuk.

Grigory Vakulenchuk was decommissioned and excluded from the lists of the Black Sea Fleet on 19 March 1992 and sunk as target-ship.