Can Russia still save the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov?

Russia has a great option to save its aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which is with the support of China, they can help enhance the power of this aircraft carrier.

In early July 2025, Russian media outlet Izvestia reported that plans were being considered to decommission the Russian Navy's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, after repairs and upgrades to the ship had been suspended for some time. Photo: @ Aero News Journal.

The move follows reports in September 2024 that the carrier's crew had formed a new naval infantry battalion, suggesting there are no plans to restore the warship to service in the near future. Photo: @ National Security Journal.

Even the Admiral Kuznetsov has been undergoing repairs and refurbishments for the past eight years but has been delayed several times and suffered accidents during this time. Photo: @ Aero News Journal.

The ship has also previously suffered significant cuts to its refurbishment budget, raising growing questions about its future. Photo: @ Defense Update.

The refurbishment aims to significantly increase the level of automation on the carrier, allowing for a reduction in the required crew size from around 1,900 to just 1,500, while also modernizing the ship's electronics and propulsion systems. Photo: @ Defense Update.

Despite the Russian Navy's difficulties in operating aircraft carriers, the Russian Defense Ministry still sees a need for such ships, with the document "Fundamentals of State Policy in the Field of Naval Activity Until 2030" stipulating that the Northern Fleet and the Pacific Fleet should each have one aircraft carrier. Photo: @ National Security Journal.

A major factor preventing the Admiral Kuznetsov from returning to service is that Russia's shipbuilding industry has declined significantly since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, leaving the country unable to undertake such an ambitious undertaking. Photo: @ Defense Update.

This raises the possibility that the Russian Defense Ministry could pursue an alternative option to save its only aircraft carrier, namely seeking Chinese assistance to refurbish the Admiral Kuznetsov.

The efficiency of China's shipbuilding industry is much higher. So sending the Admiral Kuznetsov to China for a deep refit could revolutionize its capabilities and bring its performance up to par with the Liaoning, and China could do it at a much lower cost than doing it domestically in Russia. Photo: @ Aero News Journal.

In the long term, Russia can catch up with international trends in this area through a strategic partnership with neighboring China. Photo: @ National Security Journal.

Of course, China could benefit from such a partnership not only by securing contracts for its own shipbuilding industry, but also by strengthening Russia’s maritime capabilities in the Pacific and Arctic, which would reduce the pressure on the Chinese navy to compete head-to-head with Western navies in these regions. Photo: @ Defense Update.

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