Russian telegram channels monitoring interesting developments with the Russian Armed Forces are abuzzwith posts about the iconic, though shuttered, Kirov-class battlecruiser, the Admiral Nakhimov, undergoing its first sea trials since the leviathan was decommissioned by the Russian Navy in 1997.
In the words of one Russian Telegram channel, “The heart of the ship beats again.” This was a reference to the ship’s dormant nuclear reactor.
The Kirov-class battlecruisers were designed to be the old Soviet Union’s prestige surface warship. Specifically, they were meant to murder American aircraft carriers when, and if, a hot war broke out between the United States and the USSR.
Thankfully, no such conflict ever erupted.
The Kirovs were never able to live up to their designers' expectations, because the war between the Communist and Capitalist worlds never occurred. When the Soviet Union collapsed and the Cold War ended, Russia entered its dismal era of decline.
The Tragedy of Russia’s Kirov-class Battlecruisers
Kirov-class battlecruisers were far too expensive to maintain. They were retired. But the Admiral Nakhimov was meant to be radically modernized. Back in 1997, when the Admiral Nakhimov was sent to port, Moscow desired for the upgrades to begin around 1999 with an expected completion time of around 2012.
Too bad for the post-Soviet Russian Federation that they lacked the funds or political will to accomplish the herculean task of making the Admiral Nakhimov truly able to dominate the High Seas of the modern conflict zones of the world.
It was not until 2008 that the drastic modernization program was embraced by Moscow, then flush with cash from record-high global energy prices. But the Admiral Nakhimov would still not have a clear pathway to full modernization. There were multiple fits and starts as Russian strategic priorities shifted. Ultimately, the program would truly be underway by 2014.
And the Russians have thrown a great many resources into the Admiral Nakhimov, which Moscow clearly believes will be the vital herald of change the Russian Navy requires. Moscow knows the Russians need to transform their navy, especially in the wake of humiliating blows inflicted upon them by the Ukrainians, such as when Ukrainian forces sank the modern missile cruiser, Moskva, while she was docked in Sevastopol.
Moscow appears intent on ensuring the Admiral Nakhimov can overmatch whatever NATO warship it encounters. Thus, they are installing a whopping 60 Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missiles and Kalibr cruise missiles. For good measure, they’re also installing Russia’s advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile system. In effect, the Admiral Nakhimov is becoming a gigantic missile truck. Other advances have been made, ensuring that the Admiral Nakhimov is a truly modern warship plying the High Seas.
Admiral Nakhimov’s return is slated for some time in 2026.
It is believed that this iconic boat will split its time between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic, while avoiding the relatively cramped spaces of the Black Sea. Besides, the last thing Moscow wants to do is subject their prized warship to the same attacks that brought down the Moskva in 2022.
Russia Prepares for Great Power Competition. But is the Admiral Nakhimov a Good Fit?
The Admiral Nakhimov’s assignment areas of the Arctic and Atlantic show that Moscow is planning for an extended round of great power competition with the West—thereby defying the rosy prognostications of Western propagandists claiming that Russia is about to collapse.
Yet, there is one aspect of the Admiral Nakhimov’s much anticipated return after decades of sitting in drydock that should have many naval observers scratching their heads. For all the accoutrements that the Russians appear to be adding to this boat, such as an impressive array of hypersonic weapons and defensive systems, the fact remains that the warship is vulnerable to anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) systems just as much as are NATO warships.
If the Russians intend to send this boat on power projection missions as the Russian military insists they will be doing, then this vessel will be susceptible to having its defensive systems overwhelmed by swarming tactics.
Plus, Russia is engaged in major combat operations in Ukraine. It is an all-of-society effort. Why they are not focusing their efforts on deploying systems that would be used against their Ukrainian rivals via the Black Sea are one of the imponderables of the Admiral Nakhimov’s rise.
And this is to say nothing of the probability that the Admiral Nakhimov would likely be sunk by their NATO rivals in any great power war. Russia’s strongest assets at sea have always been their submarines.
If Moscow were serious about not making the exact same mistakes of their Western foes, they’d not waste their time and money on what amounts to a vanity project, like restoring the Admiral Nakhimov.
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a Senior Fellow at the Center for the National Interest, and a contributor at Popular Mechanics, consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
