On Monday, August 18, 2025, the Russian news agency TASS, citing sources in the military-industrial complex, reported that the nuclear-powered missile cruiser RFS Admiral Nakhimov (080), Project 1144.2M Orlan (NATO reporting name: Kirov), began its first sea trials following modernization. The initial stage of trials is being conducted in the White Sea, with the ship to spend the following months in the Barents Sea.
Photo: Lyudmila Alekseyeva via VK
“The TARKR has put to sea to carry out factory sea trials,” a source told TASS (TARKR, from Russian Тяжёлый Атомный Ракетный Крейсер – Heavy Nuclear-Powered Missile Cruiser – ed.). The ship departed from the OAO PO Sevmash shipyard (Northern Machine-Building Enterprise) in Severodvinsk.
TASS does not have official confirmation of this information. Still, on August 12, Vladimir Maltsev, head of the All-Russian Fleet Support Movement and a Captain First Rank, told the agency that Admiral Nakhimov would begin trials in August. In December–January, the ship’s nuclear propulsion system, consisting of two KN-3 (VM-16) reactors rated at 150 MW each and fueled with enriched uranium-235, was activated.
Meanwhile, on July 14, 2024, TASS, citing Russian Navy (VMF) sources, reported that the sister but unmodernized cruiser RFS Pyotr Velikiy (099), Project 1144 Orlan, would be decommissioned once Admiral Nakhimov returns to service. Part of Pyotr Velikiy’s crew had already been reassigned to Admiral Nakhimov, which was then being prepared for trials.
The first stage of Admiral Nakhimov’s modernization was completed in August 2020. Since then, the ship has undergone final repairs and upgrades, involving more than 3,000 workers.
Since 1980, Russia/USSR has had two additional ships of this class: Admiral Ushakov (formerly Kirov) and Admiral Lazarev (formerly Frunze), both of which were placed in reserve in the 1990s. In 2021, dismantling began (a 2010 plan for their modernization was canceled in 2019). Initially, a fifth ship, Admiral Kuznetsov, was planned, but construction was canceled after the collapse of the USSR, with the name reassigned to the aircraft carrier (itself now reportedly facing decommissioning).
Project 1144 Orlan cruisers measure 252 m in length, 28.5 m in beam, and 9.1 m in draft. Their standard displacement is 24,300 tons, and full displacement is 28,000 tons. They are the largest modern surface combatants in the world. They were to be succeeded by Project 23560 Lider (Squall) nuclear-powered destroyers, but work on them was indefinitely suspended in April 2020.
The modernized Project 1144.2M Orlan upgrade included replacing and updating the power systems, nuclear propulsion life-support systems, missile and artillery armament, and electronic warfare systems. According to earlier reports, the ship was to receive the long-range S-400F air defense system with 48N6DM missiles, the medium-range Poliment-Redut system, and P-800 Oniks anti-ship cruise missiles. The use of Kalibr/Klub-N missiles was also considered. The missiles would be launched from 3S-14 UKSK universal vertical launchers, some sources suggested up to 174 launch cells, including 80 for surface targets and 94 for aerial threats. Plans also mentioned the new 3M22 Tsirkon hypersonic anti-ship missiles, but these were ultimately not adopted.
Admiral Nakhimov served in active duty from 1989 to 1999, after which it was laid up in Severodvinsk in reserve (until April 22, 1992, it bore the name Kalinin). The first stage of the overhaul, ongoing intermittently since 2006, ended with the ship’s transfer from drydock to the pier. Preparations for full-scale shipyard work began in earnest only in 2011, following a July 2010 decision to return three cruisers to service (this plan was later abandoned in April 2019 for Admiral Ushakov and Admiral Lazarev). Initially, Admiral Nakhimov was expected to return to service as the fleet flagship in 2017/2018, later postponed to 2020 and then to late 2022.
The current delivery date for the ship is 2026. According to unofficial estimates, the cost of the overhaul and modernization has risen from the contracted 50 billion RUB to around 200 billion RUB.
🇷🇺🫡⚓️ At last..heavy nuclear cruiser «Admiral Nakhimov» left SevMash shipyard for sea-trials after refurbishing. The ship spent more than 25 yrs at the shipyard.
📸 Courtesy: L.Alekseeva pic.twitter.com/WWPUoRds9U— KURYER🤔 (@RSS_40) August 18, 2025
🇷🇺#Russian #Navy Video of the Admiral Nakhimov, a Kirov Class nuclear-powered battlecruiser's first sea trials after repairs and upgrades. It provides a closer look at the new radar systems and the new AK-192M 130mm naval gun.
Video by Lyudmila Alekseeva. pic.twitter.com/uftFfSVgsZ— Capt(N) (@Capt_Navy) August 18, 2025