The end of propaganda about “maritime greatness”: Russia writes off its only aircraft carrier
russia has officially acknowledged the collapse of the main symbol of its mythical “naval greatness.” The country’s only aircraft carrier, admiral kuznetsov, is being prepared for decommissioning. According to media reports, the russian ministry of defense has halted the modernization of the “morally and physically obsolete” ship and plans to send it for scrapping.
▫️ For years, admiral kuznetsov was sacred to russian propaganda: the “only one,” the “largest.” It was portrayed as a symbol of russia’s naval power. But in the end, it became a symbol of inflated ambitions and technological decline.
▫️ The story of this cruiser is a chronicle of humiliation. It became a laughingstock around the world — constant breakdowns, fires, tugboat relocations from port to port, and endless repairs since 2017 that drained significant state funds.
russia’s navy is already going through hard times after a series of successful attacks by Ukrainian naval drones and aircraft in the Black Sea. The decommissioning of the kuznetsov is not just a technical decision — it’s the abandonment of illusions and an acceptance of reality.
