Satellite Image Reveals Russia’s Pyotr Velikiy Nuclear Battlecruiser Moored at Severomorsk With Its Future Uncertain

A recently released satellite image from March 11, 2025, reveals the current state of Russia’s nuclear-powered battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy (Project 1144 “Orlan”), which remains moored at the naval base in Severomorsk, OSINT analyst MT_Anderson reported on March 16.

Once the flagship of the Russian Northern Fleet and the largest combat vessel in the country’s navy, the warship’s future remains uncertain.

Rumors about its potential decommissioning first surfaced two years ago, citing excessive wear and a dwindling operational lifespan. Notably, there have been no reports of the Pyotr Velikiy deploying to sea since the summer of 2023.

The satellite image shows no clear indications of change—the cruiser remains docked, showing no visible signs of reactivation or decommissioning. However, the prolonged absence of operational updates raises questions about its fate.

Despite Russian state propaganda once praising Pyotr Velikiy as having “no analogs” in other navies due to its nuclear propulsion system, the vessel has been conspicuously inactive.

Speculation regarding its retirement intensified in July 2023 when Pyotr Velikiy was absent from Russia’s annual Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg.

Reports at the time suggested that the crew had been reduced to a minimal maintenance team, barely enough to keep the ship’s onboard systems functional.

In response to the rumors, pro-Kremlin sources denied any plans to scrap the warship, instead claiming that it remained in active service and was undergoing preparations for repairs and modernization. However, two years later, no such upgrades have materialized.

The uncertainty surrounding Pyotr Velikiy may be tied to the fate of its sister ship, the Admiral Nakhimov, which has been undergoing a costly refit for nearly 30 years.

Russia has reportedly spent over $5 billion attempting to return Admiral Nakhimov to operational status, and only recently has the ship’s reactor been restarted. Some analysts speculate that the Russian Navy may be waiting for Admiral Nakhimov to rejoin the fleet before making a final decision on Pyotr Velikiy.

Commissioned in 1998 after a decade-long construction period, Pyotr Velikiy has seen 25 years of active service.

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At 250 meters in length and displacing 25,000 tons, it is one of the largest surface combatants in the world, requiring a crew of 744 personnel.

The cruiser’s primary armament consists of 20 P-700 Granit supersonic anti-ship missiles, though previous modernization plans proposed replacing them with 80 Kalibr cruise missiles or 40 Zircon hypersonic missiles.

Earlier, reports emerged that Russia ceased repairing its naval vessels at facilities in Crimea, citing the risk of Ukrainian strikes, said Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk.

“We have practically demonstrated that Russia can no longer use repair bases for its Black Sea Fleet. To repair a ship, it first has to be brought there, and right now, no one is willing to take that risk,” Pletenchuk stated.