Russia Scraps Pyotr Velikiy Upgrade: Nakhimov's 12-Year Lesson

Russia’s navy has canceled the modernization of the Kirov-class cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the largest surface combatant in its Northern Fleet, according to reports. Citing Russia’s TASS news agency, the naval trade outlet Naval News reported the news on November 1, adding that the ship’s ultimate fate has not yet been decided.

What happened

TASS first reported that a special commission had decided to cancel Pyotr Velikiy’s modernization, and Naval News cited that report. The commission’s decision came after the modernization of her sister ship, Admiral Nakhimov, was completed. Naval News explained that Pyotr Velikiy was judged to be in such poor condition that bringing her up to the same standard as Nakhimov would be prohibitively expensive.

However, there has been no official announcement from Russian authorities. Vladimir Maltsev, head of the All-Russian Movement of Support of the Fleet, told TASS that the cruiser is “not subject to restoration,” but the commission’s final decision has not been made public. The ship’s fate therefore remains undecided.

For about 25 years, Pyotr Velikiy was the only Kirov-class (Project 1144.2 “Orlan”) cruiser still in active service. She took part in Mediterranean operations during Russia’s intervention in Syria and last returned to port at Severomorsk in late 2022.

The canceled refit and current armament

According to Naval News, Pyotr Velikiy is already equipped with the S-300FM air defense system, up to 128 Kinzhal (3K95) missiles, and six Kortik close-in weapon systems (CIWS, short-range defensive weapons that intercept incoming missiles and aircraft in the final stage of their approach). Her main armament is 20 P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles.

The canceled 1144.2M refit plan would have removed the Granit missiles and installed 80 cells of universal vertical launch systems (VLS, launchers that fire missiles vertically from cells below deck), with up to 96 S-400 missiles. In effect, it was a major overhaul that would have shifted the ship’s main armament from anti-ship missiles to universal launchers.

The cost calculation Nakhimov left behind

Nakhimov is the yardstick for refit costs. Her modernization saw the ship’s delivery date slip by about eight years, from 2018 to 2026, so the entire project took roughly 12 years, and estimates of the refit cost reach as high as $5 billion, Naval News wrote. Fully arming the ship could cost about another $500 million, according to the outlet.

The point is that it would be hard to repeat a project that took 12 years and carried an estimate of up to $5 billion on a ship in worse condition. Which specific figures the commission relied on has not been disclosed.

What remains of Russia’s large surface ships

The large surface combatants Russia has left, as listed by Naval News, are Nakhimov, the Northern Fleet’s Slava-class cruiser Marshall Ustinov, and the Pacific Fleet’s Slava-class cruiser Varyag. The modernization of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was halted in 2025, and the Slava-class cruiser Moskva sank after being struck by cruise missiles. Two of the three Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates were damaged in Novorossiysk, the outlet wrote.

The mid-tier fleet is also aging. Many Udaloy-class destroyers are now 35 to 40 years old, yet only three have completed or are undergoing modernization to the Marshal Shaposhnikov standard, Naval News reported.

Why it matters

If the cancellation is confirmed, Nakhimov will be the only Kirov-class ship left in active service. With the time and cost of refitting large surface ships already proven to be a burden once, the decision offers a clue as to the order in which the Russian navy will save or abandon its aging vessels.

That said, this news is a media report citing TASS, and there has been no official confirmation from the Russian navy or defense ministry. Points to watch are the commission’s final decision, the plan for disposing of Pyotr Velikiy, and how Nakhimov is operated after she is delivered to the fleet.

Source: Naval News, Russian Navy Cancels Modernization of Kirov-Class Battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy

This article was translated from the Korean edition of Science Monitor with AI assistance and reviewed by our editors.