"Peresvet" sailed with the rest of the Pacific Squadron on 23 June in an abortive attempt to reach Vladivostok. The new squadron commander, Rear Admiral Wilgelm Vitgeft, ordered the squadron to return to Port Arthur when it encountered the Japanese fleet shortly before sunset, as he did not wish to engage his numerically superior opponents in a night battle. "Peresvet" bombarded Japanese positions besieging Port Arthur on 28 July. Some of the ship's guns were removed during the summer to reinforce the defenses of the port. "Peresvet" lost a total of three 6-inch, two 75-millimeter, two 47-millimeter and four 37-millimeter guns. She was hit on 9 August by two shells fired by a battery with a narrow view of the harbor, but they caused only slight damage.