The sole Russian aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov is slated to rejoin the Russian Navy in 2024, according to Alexei Rakhmanov, the head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation. This update was reported by DEA News.
Rakhmanov noted that the repair work on the ship was advancing at the berth and the vessel departed from the wharf at 17:00 on February 21. The undertaking began in 2017, but in 2018 a floating dock known as PD-50 experienced sudden flooding. A crane then toppled onto the aircraft carrying cruiser, causing extensive damage to portions of the deck.
Tragically, a fire during welding in December 2020 resulted in two fatalities and more than ten injuries. A second fire occurred in December 2022 on Admiral Kuznetsov, underscoring the challenges faced during the long refurbishment.
Admiral Kuznetsov is a heavy aircraft carrying cruiser in the class of project 1143.5, built in 1991 in Nikolaev. Its displacement reaches about 61,300 tons, and it is configured to carry up to 50 aircraft and helicopters. The ship is outfitted with missile systems such as Granit, Kortik, and Dagger, which are integrated into its operational profile.
The presence of these anti ship and air defense systems distinguishes an aircraft carrying cruiser from a conventional aircraft carrier that lacks such armament. Kuznetsov’s sister ships from the same project have taken alternate paths. One, Admiral Gorshkov, was completed as the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier Vikramaditya. Another, Varyag, became China’s Liaoning, the country’s first aircraft carrier. Two additional project 1143 cruisers were converted into floating museums, while the remaining units were scrapped for metal in the 1990s.
Earlier reports described a fire at the Murmansk shipyard involving the Admiral Kuznetsov, with the incident categorized at a certain level of difficulty for firefighting personnel. This documented event illustrates the dangers and operational risks associated with long term ship maintenance and modernization projects.
As the Russian Navy plans to restore full operational capability, the Kuznetsov program highlights the broader challenges of reviving a storied fleet while integrating modern weapon systems and maintaining strategic deterrence in Arctic and Atlantic theaters. The vessel’s redesign and refurbishment reflect evolving defense priorities and the ongoing emphasis on preserving a flexible carrier capability within Russia’s maritime force structure, even amidst logistical and safety hurdles. The latest milestones indicate progress toward reentry into active service and continued readiness for regional security duties and fleet-wide demonstrations of naval power. (Source attribution: DEA News)