Report: Russia may scrap its only aircraft carrier
'The future belongs to carriers of robotic complexes and unmanned aviation. 'And the Admiral Kuznetsov - if the decision is made not to continue repairs - should just be taken, cut up for scrap, and disposed of.' 'Misfortunes continue to haunt the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the only aircraft carrier in the Russian fleet that the Kremlin inherited from the USSR,' reported The Moscow Times earlier.
'Having been put under repair in 2018 after a voyage to the shores of Syria, Admiral Kuznetsov was never able to return to service on time, and its future remains unclear.' The decrepit battleship - pride of the Russian Northern Fleet - was launched 40 years ago. The length of three football pitches, it has been hit by two fires while under repair, in 2019 and 2022, causing millions of pounds worth of damage.
The 2019 blaze saw two men lose their lives and 14 others treated for smoke inhalation. One crewman, Oleg Sosedov (pictured), 21, who served on the aircraft carrier, was last year reported to have gone missing during a Russian attack in Kharkiv. Missing too was Ivan Akenchenkov, 51, and Sergey Ovsienko, 30, also crew members of the Admiral Kuznetsov.
It comes after in 2023 the Admiral Kuznetsov was said to in such a ruinous state that it would sink if it were to sail again. Ukraine's Defense Ministry stated the Admiral Kuznetsov is in such 'a state of emergency' that it 'cannot move under its own power'. The ministry noted that a decision had been made to transfer the ship to the docks of a ship repair plant.
However, it soon became clear the cruiser was not able to move without assistance. Attempts to tug the boat failed due to the poor condition of the ship's hull - which divers found was suffering deep corrosion below the third deck. The holds were also found to be filled with muddy water, making an internal check impossible.
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