The Krasny Kavkaz, originally named Admiral Lazarev, was a Svetlana-class light cruiser laid down in 1913 for the Imperial Russian Navy. Construction was interrupted by the Russian Revolution in 1917, leaving the ship partially complete. After the Soviets captured the unfinished vessel, they decided to complete it to a modernised design and rename her Krasny Kavkaz in 1926. The ship was finally commissioned into service with the Soviet Navy in 1932, becoming one of the most advanced cruisers in their fleet at the time. During World War II, the Krasny Kavkaz saw extensive action in the Black Sea, participating in operations around cities such as Odessa, Sevastopol, and Novorossiysk. The ship conducted a variety of missions, including convoy escorts, troop transport, and shore bombardment. However, in 1943, Stalin prohibited the use of large naval vessels without his personal consent, effectively ending the Krasny Kavkaz's wartime service. After the war, the ship was converted into a training vessel and later used as a target before being sunk by a missile in 1952.

Introduced during Update 1.79 "Project X" when the Soviet fleet was implemented into the game, Krasny Kavkaz features a unique configuration with four single 180 mm guns as its main armament, supplemented by a large secondary battery of 100 mm, 76 mm, and 45 mm guns. Her gameplay is unique, characterised by potentially powerful yet inconsistent main gun performance due to dispersion, as well as a strong and consistent secondary armament that compensates for main battery inaccuracy. Several torpedo tubes supplement her cannon armament, and while the Krasny Kavkaz's torpedoes have a limited range, they can still serve as a last-ditch defence against approaching targets. The Krasny Kavkaz's relatively thin armour makes it vulnerable to cruiser-calibre guns, but her large crew complement helps mitigate crew attrition.