For ordinary operations in areas of the seas with shallow depths, diving vessels of various displacement were used in the Navy of the USSR. The diving vessel of Project 535 was larger than the previous Project 522 and equipped with 2 diving complexes for depth max 60 meter with pressure chamber. Diving vessels of this project served on all fleets of the USSR and later - the Russian Federation. In total, more than 30 vessels of this type were built for the Navy.

Seagoing Diving Vessel VM-232 laid down at the Gorokhovets Shipyard (yard No.128), commissioned in December 1982 and was assigned to the Caspian Flotilia.

Then the vessel was transferrea to the Black Sea Fleet, based in Tuapse.

Decommissioned in 2007.

06 March 2014 the hull of the vessel was sank on the channel at the exit from Lake Donuzlav (Crimea) in order to prevent the leaving of the Ukrainian warships and auxiliary vessels from Donuzlav Lake. Subsequently, the hull of the vessel was lifted from the channel by the Black Sea Fleet rescue vessels and towed to the shallows inside Lake Donuzlav.