 Here, "Litke" awaited the arrival of this convoy which would double "Joseph Stalin"s ice-breaking capacity.However, the threat of German submarines and bottom mines scattered in the shallow coastal passage caused a delay until the Navy could assemble an adequate defensive escort.Two transports of VA-18 convoy – standing for Vilkitsky Strait to Arkhangelsk – "Arkhangelsk" and "Kirov", and a minesweeper, were destroyed by submarines in the Kara Sea on 30 September and 1 October.