 Construction of Koldun began on 9 November 1863 by the Belgian firm of Cockerill for assembly in Saint Petersburg . The ship was laid down on 9 December 1863 and she was launched on 8 May 1864 . She entered service on 1865 and cost a total of 1 @,@ 237 @,@ 000 rubles , almost double her contract cost of 600 @,@ 000 rubles . The ship was assigned to the Baltic Fleet upon completion and she , and all of her sister ships except Latnik , made a port visit to Stockholm , Sweden in July – August 1865 while under the command of General Admiral Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich . 
