Russia's upgraded nuclear battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov returns to sea for first time since 1997.

On August 18, 2025, TASS announced that the Project 1144.2M battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov had officially left Severodvinsk to begin shipbuilder sea trials after decades of inactivity and a prolonged modernization process. A source from the Russian shipbuilding industry confirmed that the first stage of testing would take place in the White Sea before continuing in the Barents Sea over several months, while TASS emphasized that no official confirmation from the Ministry of Defense has yet been issued.
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Admiral Nakhimov is the third of four Project 1144 nuclear battlecruisers built, with Admiral Ushakov and Admiral Lazarev decommissioned and scrapped, and Pyotr Velikiy the remaining operational unit of the type. (Picture source: VK/Lyudmila Alekseeva)

This event follows earlier announcements by Captain 1st Rank Vladimir Maltsev, who stated on August 12, 2025, that the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser would head out to sea this month, and reports in January that both nuclear reactors had been restarted. In July 2025, Andrey Kostin, head of VTB and chairman of the board of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), informed President Vladimir Putin that repairs on the vessel were completed and that the cruiser was ready for trials. Photographs circulating on social media have shown the vessel underway in the White Sea, marking its first appearance at sea since 1997.

This nuclear-powered battlecruiser was originally laid down on May 17, 1983, at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad under the name Kalinin and launched on April 25, 1986. It entered service with the Soviet Northern Fleet on December 30, 1988, and was renamed Admiral Nakhimov on April 22, 1992, in honor of Admiral Pavel Nakhimov. The ship’s active operational service was short-lived, and in July 1997, it sailed to Severodvinsk to await refit. It was formally accepted for repair and modernization at Sevmash on August 14, 1999, though work remained limited for years. In 2008, its spent nuclear fuel was removed, and in 2012, the technical modernization project for refit under Project 1144.2M was completed. On June 13, 2013, Sevmash signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense worth 50 billion rubles for repair and modernization, with an expected return to the fleet in 2018. In October 2014, the cruiser was moved into the flooded basin at Sevmash, marking the formal start of modernization work.

The modernization of Admiral Nakhimov under Project 1144.2M has been extensive and is aimed at substantially changing its combat systems. Reports specify the installation of ten universal vertical launchers, each capable of housing eight Kalibr-NK or Oniks cruise missiles, with some accounts mentioning the inclusion of Zircon hypersonic missiles. Russian sources have also reported that the final configuration may include up to 176 vertical launch cells, divided between 80 anti-surface and 96 anti-air weapons. In addition to its strike role, the cruiser is receiving upgraded layered air defense systems such as Fort-M and Pantsir-M, together with Paket-NK and Otvet anti-submarine warfare systems. These improvements add to the existing ability to operate Ka-27 series helicopters from its hangar and flight deck, enabling coordination of long-range anti-submarine operations. Although descriptions of the modernization vary between open sources, the central elements consistently highlight the shift to universal vertical launchers and new-generation integrated defensive and offensive systems.

The Admiral Nakhimov is among the largest surface warships built after World War II, outside of aircraft carriers. The ship is 250 to 252 meters long, with a beam of 28.5 meters and a draft of 10.3 meters. Its full-load displacement is cited between 26,000 and 28,000 tons, depending on the source. Propulsion is provided by two KN-3 nuclear reactors rated at 150 MW each, linked to steam turbines with additional auxiliary boilers, together generating approximately 140,000 shaft horsepower. The ship is capable of achieving speeds of 31 to 32 knots, with virtually unlimited range under nuclear power and endurance of up to 60 days at sea. Crew complements are reported at approximately 710 to 744 personnel, with the capacity to embark an air group of three Ka-27, Ka-29, or Ka-31 helicopters. This technical configuration, combining nuclear propulsion and heavy armament, aligns with the original Kirov-class design concept of countering NATO carrier strike groups and submarines.

The overhaul has been marked by delays and rising costs. Initially expected to return to the fleet in 2018 under the 2013 contract, deadlines were repeatedly revised to 2020, 2021, 2024, and finally to 2026. Cost estimates have grown from the contracted 50 billion rubles to around 200 billion rubles, according to non-official assessments. Critical milestones included the movement of the cruiser from Sevmash’s basin to the outfitting quay in August 2020, the reconnection of power and cable systems in 2021, and the resumption of nuclear operations with one reactor restarted in December 2024 and the second in February 2025. These steps allowed the ship to prepare for demagnetization and other dockside tests before sea trials. Observers note that the extended schedule and investment reflect both the complexity of replacing entire combat and support systems and the changing priorities of the Russian Navy over nearly three decades.

Within the Kirov-class, known in Russia as Project 1144 Orlan, Admiral Nakhimov is the third vessel built after Kirov (later Admiral Ushakov) and Frunze (later Admiral Lazarev), both now decommissioned and dismantled. The fourth, Pyotr Velikiy, remains in service but is also planned for modernization, though reports suggest it may be retired rather than upgraded, leaving Admiral Nakhimov as the only fully modernized ship of the class. Since their conception in the 1970s, Orlan-class ships have been considered by the USSR and Russia as symbols of naval power due to their size and weapons capacity, but have faced challenges in maintenance and operational use. Western assessments often describe them as costly and difficult to sustain, contrasting their symbolic role with the greater strategic value attributed to submarines. Once trials are complete, Admiral Nakhimov is expected to rejoin the Northern Fleet at Severomorsk, where its role will focus on providing long-range strike capability, enhanced layered defenses, and anti-submarine functions within Russia’s surface fleet structure.