After years of repair work and modernisation, the Russian Navy’s nuclear-capable battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov has returned to the water and is moving under its own power for the first time since 1997. The milestone follows the reactivation of the 28,000-ton of the two nuclear reactors of battlecruiser earlier this year. Now, the warship is slated to replace its sister vessel, the Pyotr Velikiy, as the flagship of the Russian fleet.&nbsp;The state news agency TASS, citing an unnamed shipbuilding industry source, reported that the head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Andrei Kostin, briefed President Vladimir Putin on the development on Aug 18, 2025.&nbsp;Back in February, Russian reports confirmed that both the battlecruiser’s reactors were brought online, with trials scheduled for the summer, a target that has now been met. However, the roadway to it has been far from easy, with the warship's return to service. However, the path to this point has been far from easy, with the warship’s return to service being afflicted by delays.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/this-nuclear-capable-missile-of-india-can-reduce-beijing-and-islamabad-to-ashes-here-s-how-1755519856176">THIS nuclear capable missile of India can reduce Beijing and Islamabad to ashes — Here's how</a><h3>Journey so far of battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov</h3>The nuclear-capable battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov was deployed in Leningrad in 1983, and under its original name, Kalinin, it was first launched in 1986. This battlecruiser is part of the class of warships popularly known as the Project 1144.2 Orlan, with the codename Kirov class by NATO. The warship has the updated designation Project 1144.2M in its current modernised form.&nbsp;The battlecruiser received its current name after it joined the Northern Fleet in 1988, in honour of Russian Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov, in 1992. When the Admiral Nakhimov last went to sea in 1997, it was laid up in dry dock at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk's port city on the White Sea with the Northern Fleet.&nbsp;Work on the Admiral Nakhimov advanced only in 2014, but deadlines kept slipping. However, it was expected to be completed by 2018, but the scheduled timeline was pushed to 2019, then 2020. By 2017, TASS projected completion in 2021 was later revised to 2013, before the Sevmash shipyard finally delayed re-entry to 2024.

Admiral Nakhimov is part of the Project 1144.2 Orlan class of warships, with the codename ‘Kirov class’ by NATO. The warship has the updated designation Project 1144.2M in its current modernised form.

After years of repair work and modernisation, the Russian Navy’s nuclear-capable battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov has returned to the water and is moving under its own power for the first time since 1997. The milestone follows the reactivation of the 28,000-ton of the two nuclear reactors of battlecruiser earlier this year. Now, the warship is slated to replace its sister vessel, the Pyotr Velikiy, as the flagship of the Russian fleet. The state news agency TASS, citing an unnamed shipbuilding industry source, reported that the head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Andrei Kostin, briefed President Vladimir Putin on the development on Aug 18, 2025. Back in February, Russian reports confirmed that both the battlecruiser’s reactors were brought online, with trials scheduled for the summer, a target that has now been met. However, the roadway to it has been far from easy, with the warship's return to service. However, the path to this point has been far from easy, with the warship’s return to service being afflicted by delays. Also read: THIS nuclear capable missile of India can reduce Beijing and Islamabad to ashes — Here's how Journey so far of battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov The nuclear-capable battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov was deployed in Leningrad in 1983, and under its original name, Kalinin, it was first launched in 1986. This battlecruiser is part of the class of warships popularly known as the Project 1144.2 Orlan, with the codename Kirov class by NATO. The warship has the updated designation Project 1144.2M in its current modernised form. The battlecruiser received its current name after it joined the Northern Fleet in 1988, in honour of Russian Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov, in 1992. When the Admiral Nakhimov last went to sea in 1997, it was laid up in dry dock at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk's port city on the White Sea with the Northern Fleet. Work on the Admiral Nakhimov advanced only in 2014, but deadlines kept slipping. However, it was expected to be completed by 2018, but the scheduled timeline was pushed to 2019, then 2020. By 2017, TASS projected completion in 2021 was later revised to 2013, before the Sevmash shipyard finally delayed re-entry to 2024.

Admiral Nakhimov is part of the Project 1144.2 Orlan class of warships, with the codename ‘Kirov class’ by NATO. The warship has the updated designation Project 1144.2M in its current modernised form.

Russia’s ancient nuclear battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov returns to sea after 28 years — What this means

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