In early January 2021, the ship detachment entered the Mediterranean Sea and on 9 January it called at Tartus, Syria. On 15 January, they met frigate "Admiral Kasatonov" and tug "Nikolay Chiker" in the western Mediterranean Sea. Later on, the three ships have visited Cypriot port Limassol. On 1 February 2021, "Stoikiy" and "Kola" entered the Red Sea and were heading for the Gulf of Aden. Some reports suggested that the ships are to participate in the international naval exercise AMAN2021 in Pakistan, however the detachment of the three ships instead participated in an exercise with Iranian Navy between 15-16 February 2021. Iran contributed a frigate, a corvette, three missile boats, a patrol boat and two auxiliary vessels to the exercise. This was only the second deployment of the ships of this class beyond Suez Canal after "Soobrazitelnyy's" deployment to the Red Sea in November 2017. Between 20-23 February, "Stoikiy" called at Salalah, Oman. On 2 March, the ship escorted two merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. Between 12-15 March, "Stoikiy", accompanied by "Kola", paid a second visit to Salalah. On 19 March, "Stoikiy" and "Kola" called at Port Sudan, Sudan. This was the second visit of a Russian Navy vessel to the location of a future Russian naval base, following the port call of frigate "Admiral Grigorovich" on 28 February. During the sandstorm with 40 kn winds in the Suez Canal on 23 March, "Kola" collided with bulk carrier "Ark Royal" two hours prior to the container ship "Ever Given" running aground some 11 km further north, both ships sustaining slight damages.