24.01 Russia Begins Nuclear-Powered Missile Cruiser Overhaul

MOSCOW, January 24 (RIA Novosti) – The refit of one of Russia’s four heavy nuclear-powered missile cruisers has begun after years of delays, the country’s largest shipbuilder said Friday.

The work on the Admiral Nakhimov will revamp its firepower and set the stage for the revitalization of the Russian Navy’s capital ships, which have not been modernized in the post-Soviet era.

The vessel, formerly named the Kalinin, is one of four Kirov-class missile cruisers, the largest surface combat ships in operation with any navy. Only one of the ships, the Pyotr Veliky, is operational, but Russia plans to return the other three to service starting with the Admiral Nakhimov in 2018.

Russia also has a single aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, currently deployed in the Mediterranean.

Sevmash shipyard said in a statement that the schedule for work on the cruiser this year has already been drawn up.