“We believe there’s no longer any point in repairing her. She’s over 40 years old, and keeping her operational is extremely expensive… I think the issue will be resolved either by selling or scrapping her.”
—Andrei Kostin, Chairman of the Board, United Shipbuilding Corporation
Earlier in July, sources from Izvestia reported that the repair and modernization work on the carrier had been suspended. Officials from the Russian Navy’s Main Command and USC were evaluating the viability of continuing with the project.
Years of Repairs Yield Little Progress
The Admiral Kuznetsov has been under repair since 2017. The overhaul was expected to extend the ship’s service life by a decade, with plans to replace the flight deck, power systems, and propulsion unit. Upgrades were also to include removing the P-700 Granit anti-ship missile system, adding new Pantsir-M air defense systems, and modernizing the command structure.
In 2022, then-USC CEO Aleksei Rakhmanov stated that repairs were on schedule. As recently as July 2024, sources in the Russian Defense Ministry noted the formation of flight crews for the ship, with pilots training over the Kola Peninsula and Barents Sea.
Setbacks and Disasters During Repair
Major setbacks marred the repair process. In October 2018, the floating dry dock PD-50, where the ship’s hull was being serviced, sank. A crane from the dock collapsed onto the carrier, puncturing the flight deck and damaging several compartments. The ship was then towed to the 35th Ship Repair Plant, and workers were forced to adapt two smaller docks to continue the project.
PD-50, one of Russia’s largest floating docks, was built in Sweden for the Soviet Navy and delivered in 1980. It was notably used during the disposal of the nuclear submarine Kursk, which sank in 2000. The dock had a displacement of nearly 216,000 tons.
In 2019, a fire broke out aboard Admiral Kuznetsov, causing damage estimated at around 500 million rubles.
Operational History: From Trials to Syria
The cruiser was commissioned into the Northern Fleet in 1991, with sea trials continuing until 1994. Its first combat deployment took place in 1995 as part of a naval group in the Mediterranean. Over the years, the ship made several long-distance missions.
Between 2016 and 2017, Admiral Kuznetsov took part in military operations off Syria’s coast. Its carrier-based aircraft launched strikes on terrorist targets, marking the first combat use of the Su-33 naval fighter jet.
The vessel was the fifth in the Project 1143 “Krechet” class and was designed to carry up to 50 aircraft and helicopters, including MiG-29K, MiG-29KUB fighters, and Ka-27 helicopters.
Powerful Arsenal and Contentious Value
One of the carrier’s defining features was its weaponry. It was outfitted with the Granit missile system, firing P-700 supersonic anti-ship missiles with warheads weighing over 500 kilograms. These missiles were designed to counter major enemy fleets. The ship also included Kortik and Kinzhal air defense systems, as well as the RBU-12000 rocket depth charge launcher.
Debate has long surrounded the carrier’s strategic value. Some experts considered it essential for training carrier-based pilots, while others saw it as obsolete and expensive.
“The carrier is certainly needed for preparing our future shipborne pilots. Of course, we must keep it. It's in rough shape, and maintaining it is an extremely difficult task.”
—Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov, former commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet
Meanwhile, 19FortyFive columnist Peter Suciu argued that Russia does not need aircraft carriers, citing the lack of overseas ports. He warned that any ports capable of hosting the ship would likely become primary targets in a conflict.
