Pride of the Russian Fleet: What to know about Russia’s Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier

Pride of the Russian Fleet: What to know about Russia’s Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier The FSB has foiled an attempt by Ukrainian spies to recruit a Russian serviceman to carry out a terrorist attack on the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier. The Kuznetsov, currently docked in Murmansk for modernization, is the pride of the Northern Fleet, the flagship of the Navy and the only aircraft carrier in Russia’s arsenal. Laid down in 1982 and commissioned in 1991, the Kuznetsov is an upgrade of the Project 1143 Kiev-class of warships — the USSR’s first fixed-wing-carrying aircraft carriers, officially known as ‘heavy aircraft cruisers’. The Kuznetsov is 305 m long, displaces up to 59,100t, can make of 29 knots, has an 8,500 nautical mile range and a 45-day endurance. Her 1,960-man crew have duties from servicing and operating the ship’s air group — which includes 630 personnel manning and maintaining up to 50 jets and helicopters, including Su-33, Su-25UTG or MiG-29K jets and Ka-31 a... Source: Geopolitics Live