Russia’s Only Aircraft Carrier Under Repair Since 2017 May Finally Be Scrapped

Paul Goble

Staunton, July 11 – The Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia’s only aircraft carrier that suffered many embarrassments while at sea and has been under repair since 2017 may now be scrapped, Izvestiya says, a development that if true is likely to spark renewed debate in Moscow on whether Russia needs or can afford a replacement.

            For the Izvestiya report and a discussion of its implications, see iz.ru/1918884/2025-07-11/remont-i-modernizatciia-kreisera-admiral-kuznetcov-priostanovleny and thebarentsobserver.com/security/repairs-on-russias-admiral-kuznetsov-halted-decommissioning-possible/433308; for the sad history of this ship both on the seas and in drydock, windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2024/11/for-sixth-time-completion-of-repairs-to.html, windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2022/07/projected-return-of-ill-fated-russian.html, windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-kuznetsov-almost-died-in-2018-when.html, windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2021/07/fsb-raids-shipyards-where-russias-only.html and windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2021/01/kremlin-claims-to-contrary-russias-only.html.

            According to the Russian government newspaper, all work on the Admiral Kuznetsov has been suspended; and a decision whether to renew that at some point in the future or scrap the ship will be made soon by the Navy and the United Shipbuilding Corporation “in the near future.”

            Many Russian analysts have suggested in the past that the ship will be scrapped especially as costs of repairing it rise at a time of budgetary stringency brought on by Putin’s war in Ukraine. And some Moscow commentators have sought to make a virtue out of this necessity by arguing the age of aircraft carriers is over and that Russia shouldn’t waste money on them.

            But others argue that aircraft carriers still have a place and that Russia can afford one or more in the future even if it can’t afford to refit the Admiral Kuznetsov. That suggests that a debate will now open that took place in 2021 but was closed down by the beginning of Putin’s expanded war in Ukraine (windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2022/01/debate-about-possible-construction-of.html).