#

Endless Repairs of Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier in russia Reach Logical Conclusion

Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Open-source photo
Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Open-source photo

Despite the bravado about nearing completion and after seven years of being a cushion for embezzlement schemes, the rusted ship's repair is finally being stopped to never turn into reality

Defense ministry of russia has suspended ongoing repairs of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, once the flagship of the russian Navy, and is currently in discussions as to what to do next with the warship. According to the russian media, the ministry considers closing the repair program altogether.

Although its fate is sealed at this point, the Navy may keep up appearances imitating some active repairs still going on for the time being. Otherwise it will just keep rusting away as it did since 2017, when it returned from deployment off Syria and entered a troublesome overhaul and modernization effort.

Read more: Eleven Years in Repair, russia's Kalibr and Zircon Missile Carrier is Still Nowhere Near Completion
Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Defense Express / Endless Repairs of Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier in russia Reach Logical Conclusion
Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Open-source photo

Initially, they planned to whip it back into shape by 2022, then postponed to 2024. However, when the defense minister lost patience and visited the dock with a commission, it turned out the ship was not only unready for combat, it couldn't even leave the pier on its own.

Notwithstanding the real state of affairs, the russian media were brimming with reports of the aircraft carrier's soon re-entering service to once again headspear the russian fleet, notably attributing it the leading role in "fighting back the Americans."

Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Defense Express / Endless Repairs of Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier in russia Reach Logical Conclusion
Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Open-source photo

There were even messages of combat aircraft pilots starting the training anew to return to service on Kuznetsov. But then, in February 2025, Su-33 naval fighters from the carrier's fleet were seen escorting strategic bombers near the Olenya airfield, over 2,500 kilometers from where they should be – at the pilot training center in Saky, Crimea.

The pilot situation is critical: most who remember how to land on the Kuznetsov's runway retired, the ones remaining lost their edge. The lack of real training with Su-33s signals that at least a few more years Admiral Kuznetsov won't be operational.

Furthermore, the repair itself was subject to multiple incidents throughout its delayed execution. The largest floating dock in russia sank, a crane fell on Kuznetsov's deck, the ship suffered two fires in 2019 and 2022.

Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Defense Express / Endless Repairs of Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier in russia Reach Logical Conclusion
Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Open-source photo

In the meantime, the russian contractors kept finding mysterious "defects" asking for additional financial investments, subsequently found in blue collars' pockets. They even once said they thwarted a "terrorist attack by Ukrainian special ops."

The whole repair effort boils down to a hundred billion rubles, or roughly 1.13 bln U.S. dollars, with no breakthrough results after almost eight years. One possible scenario for Admiral Kuznetsov is to continue existing solely as a money laundering machine or, alternatively, get cut into scrap metal if the russian military leadership decides to put the embarrassment to an end.

Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Defense Express / Endless Repairs of Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier in russia Reach Logical Conclusion
Admiral Kuznetsov on repairs / Open-source photo
Read more: How russia Faked Creating a New Carrier-Based Fighter for International Attention