Moscow — The Russian Federation's Ministry of Defense is considering halting the repair work on the country's only aircraft carrier, the "Admiral Kuznetsov," and decommissioning it entirely. This was reported by the "Izvestia" publication.
It is noted that the aforementioned carrier, launched in 1985, has been undergoing modernization since 2017. However, technical issues in recent years, particularly the sinking of Russia's largest floating dock and a fire on the ship itself, have significantly complicated the repair work.
Former commander of the Russian Pacific Fleet, Admiral Sergey Avakyants, stated that this type of ship technology has lost its relevance, saying:
"This is a very expensive and inefficient naval weapon. The future belongs to robotic complexes and unmanned aviation systems."
Strategic Planning Research Center expert Ilya Kramnik also supported this view. According to him, strengthening Russia's naval capabilities would be better served by "building new-generation ships based on deck-mounted fighter jets."
The "Admiral Kuznetsov" has been the only aircraft carrier in the Russian Navy to this day, holding a special place in the country's naval doctrine. Its decommissioning could lead to a reassessment of Russia's capabilities in long-range naval operations.
