A few days ago, and after nearly thirty years without sailing, the nuclear-powered cruiser Admiral Nakhimov of the Russian Navy returned to sea as part of the next stage of its modernization program. The ship is one of the two surviving vessels of Project 1144 Orlan class, a series of five nuclear giants with a displacement of 28,000 tons powered by two nuclear reactors, of which two were decommissioned and scrapped, while the construction of the fifth was canceled. Thus, only the Nakhimov and the Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great) remain.
In connection with this, and following the start of sea trials by the Admiral Nakhimov, coupled with the lack of official statements from the Russian Navy, the future of the Pyotr Velikiy has come into question. Within the Russian expert community, opinions are divided: some argue for modernization and a return to service, while others call for decommissioning and scrapping to save significant resources that could be redirected to other priority naval construction programs.
An interesting operational record
Unlike the other three giants that were completed, the Pyotr Velikiy has had an extensive service record operating with the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy.
For comparison, the Admiral Nakhimov entered the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk on the White Sea in 1997. The Pyotr Velikiy, since its commissioning on April 18, 1998, has been involved in numerous deployments as part of naval and joint exercises, as well as long-range cruises around the globe.
In 2008, the nuclear cruiser sailed to the Caribbean to participate in exercises with the Venezuelan Bolivarian Navy, accompanied by the destroyer Admiral Chabanenko and a support vessel. During that deployment, it also visited Panama, Nicaragua, and Cuba.
In the 2010s, the cruiser conducted a deployment that took it from its Northern Fleet base to the South China Sea, while also being recorded as operating near Syria.
In the early 2020s, the ship continued operating within the Northern Fleet, participating in exercises in locations such as the Barents Sea, where in 2020 it carried out anti-ship missile launches.
By late 2022, the cruiser entered the Sevmash shipyard, where it has since awaited a decision on its future — either decommissioning and scrapping or modernization along the lines of the Nakhimov, emphasizing the value such a ship brings to the Russian surface fleet.
A future surrounded by secrecy and uncertainty
Shortly after its arrival at Sevmash, various Russian media outlets reported that the Russian Navy was analyzing the Pyotr Velikiy’s future, pointing to strong indications of its possible decommissioning.
With the Admiral Nakhimov’s return to sea, many argue that scrapping the Pyotr Velikiy would be the most rational decision, saving resources that could instead fund the construction of new ships such as frigates or submarines, the latter being central to Moscow’s strategy and deterrence posture.
For example, former Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Sergei Avakyants told Izvestia: “The very idea of building heavy nuclear-powered cruisers is an absolutely unjustified relationship between cost and effectiveness.” He added: “I opposed spending money on repairing the Admiral Nakhimov. And even more so, no resources should be spent on the Pyotr Velikiy. It would be far more effective to use those funds to build several ocean-going ships carrying modern weapons, which would surpass such a monster in efficiency by far. The idea behind building such ships is the same as that behind the battleship Bismarck.”
Others, also cited by the same outlet, argued the opposite, pointing out that the nuclear cruiser’s nearly unlimited range keeps it relevant and that despite its 27 years of service, the ship still carries significant weaponry that could bolster the Russian Navy’s anti-surface warfare capabilities.
It should be noted that during its service life, which included several shipyard periods, the Pyotr Velikiy did undergo some targeted upgrades. However, unlike the recent modernization of the Admiral Nakhimov, its main armament still relies on Soviet-era systems. This is why supporters of modernization argue that, like its surviving sister ship of the Orlan class, it should undergo a similar overhaul — a process that would not take as long, as Sevmash now has experienced personnel, with the main obstacle being the sustained allocation of resources. In total, the modernization of the Nakhimov is estimated to have cost 200 billion rubles (nearly 2.5 billion USD at current exchange rates).
The Russian Navy will have the final say
Ultimately, regardless of the arguments for or against decommissioning, the reality is that the nuclear-powered cruiser has not sailed since late 2022, awaiting a final decision on its future.
The Russian Navy, despite local media reports, has maintained great secrecy about what will become of its former Northern Fleet flagship — whether it will undergo maintenance and modernization or, on the contrary, be retired and scrapped. The complexity of such a process, including the removal and handling of the ship’s nuclear fuel and reactors, adds further weight to the decision.
For now, the only certainty beyond speculation is that the future of the ship — named after one of the most important tsars of all Russia — remains shrouded in uncertainty.
Images used for illustration – Credits as appropriate.
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