Marta Gichko22:12, 07.08.26

Russia spent billions to bring back the giant cruiser, but modern drone warfare could call its effectiveness into question.

Russia has brought the nuclear-powered cruiser Admiral Nakhimov , which has not been used in the fleet for almost 30 years , into the final stage of sea trials . Moscow has spent billions of dollars on its repairs and large-scale modernization, but the modern era of missiles and drones may question the feasibility of such an expensive ship, writes  19FortyFive .

The 28,000-ton Admiral Nakhimov left Severodvinsk in late May. Russian authorities have described the current trials as the final stage after repairs and modernization.

The cruiser was last in the Northern Fleet in 1997, and arrived at the Sevmash ship repair yard in 1999. Full modernization began only in 2014, and the ship’s return was originally planned for 2018. Due to numerous delays, the deadlines were repeatedly postponed.

According to experts, the total cost of the project could reach about $5 billion.

What did Russia get for this money?

After modernization, the Admiral Nakhimov should become one of the most armed surface ships in the Russian fleet.

The cruiser reportedly received about 80 universal launch cells for the Kalibr, Onyx and Zircon missiles, as well as anti-submarine weapons. Another 96 cells are intended for long-range air defense. For close-range defense, the ship is equipped with six Pantsir-M complexes.

The exact configuration of the armament remains unknown, but the cruiser will potentially have one of the largest missile armaments among modern surface combatants.

Its nuclear power plant allows it to remain at sea for long periods without the need for constant refueling. The ship can also act as a command post for a surface group and provide air defense for other vessels.

(C)UNIAN 2026