The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov , launched in 1985, which has been under repair for seven years, may never be fully repaired and could remain out of service indefinitely. The Su-33 fighters, previously part of the Kuznetsov’s air group, are now being used to escort Tu-95MS strategic bombers according to Defence Express.
Russia has only about 17 Su-33 units, these aircraft, which were once assigned to the Admiral Kuznetsov, are now part of a mixed air corps for the Northern Fleet. In late 2023, it was revealed that the Su-33s had been moved to land-based operations and reassigned, which raises questions about the current state of the Kuznetsov.
The Admiral Kuznetsov, has a troubled operational history, having suffered various accidents and setbacks, including a serious fire during repairs in late 2022. It relies on a ski-jump ramp for aircraft launches instead of modern catapult systems, limiting its operational capabilities. Many pilots capable of launching from an aircraft carrier deck have retired. Remaining pilots, who have been performing simpler land-based flights, now require retraining for deck operations, a process that takes approximately a year.
Reports indicate that the Russian Federation had initially planned to remove the Kuznetsov from repairs last year, with media coverage suggesting that pilot training had begun.
However, the only facility for such training is located near the city of Saki in Russian-occupied Crimea, which is located in temporarily occupied Crimea. Instead of undergoing training there, the Su-33s remain in northern Russia, where they continue to escort Tu-95MS bombers from the Olenya airfield in the Murmansk region.
September 2024, it was reported that Russia is reassigning sailors from the Admiral Kuznetsov, to the frontlines in Ukraine due to personnel shortages. At least one reassigned sailor is reported missing, as Russia scrambles to replace an estimated 30,000 troops lost per month.
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