The Kirov-class nuclear-powered cruiser is the symbol of the Soviet Red Navy, with a full load displacement of nearly 26,000 tons, a mountain-like hull and a steel forest-like radar antenna, plus 20 P-700 "Granite" heavy anti-ship missiles, which can be described as a force value MAX. However, the glory of the past has long been lost, and recently, there are pictures showing that the second ship of the "Kirov" class, "Admiral Lazaev", has begun to dismantle.
The dismantling of the "Kirov" II ship
As can be seen from the pictures, the Admiral Lazayev (formerly known as the Frunze) is parked in a large floating dock, the radar antenna and gun system have been completely dismantled, the bridge has been cut, and the bulbous bow is also missing. Although the huge main mast and chimney still stand, the entire warship is dead, the hero is in his twilight years, ushering in a moment of withering, and this scene makes people's noses sour.
Admiral Lazarev's radar, guns, bridge, and nose have been removed
In fact, before that, the giant ship had been grounded for 22 years, soaked in the water for a full 40 years, and its fate was already predestined at the moment when the Soviet Union collapsed. The Kirov class was originally planned to build 5 ships, but only 4 were actually completed, the first ship "Kirov" (also called "Admiral Usakov") has been acting as an "organ donor" since the suspension of navigation, and the third ship "Kalinin" (also called "Admiral Nakhimov") has been undergoing modernization and refitting at the Northern Shipyard since January 2014. The only one currently in service is the Peter the Great, which rarely leaves port.
Kirov in the snow and ice
The second ship " Admiral Lazaev " was originally planned to be sent to the Indian shipyard for dismantling together with the first ship " Usakov " , but due to the impact of the epidemic, its final destination was chosen at the 30th shipyard in danube village in Primorsky Krai, Russia. In May of this year, the "Admiral Lazarev" was towed out of the anchorage of Abrek Bay in Vladivostok by tugboat and embarked on the road of no return. The dismantling was expected to begin at the end of August 2021 and complete by the end of November 2025, and it now appears that Russia is punctual this time.
Kirov in dismantling
Kirov II in dismantling
Seeing this, many people may say, is Russia not short of big ships? Why not modify the "Admiral Lazarev", the "big guy" with a full load displacement of nearly 26,000 tons, and dismantle it like this, what a pity? In fact, Russia is modifying and upgrading the third ship "Admiral Nakhimov", and the fourth ship "Peter the Great" will also begin to be modernized in 2023, replacing the new radar electronics and air defense system, and adding hypersonic missiles, but specific to the "Admiral Lazarev", direct dismantling and scrapping is a more realistic choice.
Russia left behind two newer ships
Kirov class fire instantly
The Kirov class launches granite missiles
This is because the "Admiral Lazarev" entered service earlier and joined the Red Navy on October 31, 1984, which led to its lack of life left, and because it had been suspended for 22 years and could not be maintained during the suspension, the hull had little use value. In contrast, Admiral Nakhimov entered service on December 30, 1988, and Peter the Great entered service on April 19, 1998, and they are relatively "young".
Kirov-class cruiser
Figure 142 and Kirov
On the other hand, "Admiral Lazarev" is the second ship of the "Kirov" class, and the radar electronic system is even more outdated than that of "Admiral Nakhimov" and "Peter the Great", and if it is to be completely modified, it may be more expensive than a new cruiser, which russia is currently unable to afford.
The modified Admiral Nakhimov
"Admiral Lazarev" in dismantling
In fact, not only is the transformation of the "Admiral Lazarev" not cost-effective, but even the transformation of the "Admiral Nakhimov" and the "Peter the Great" is actually not necessary. At that time, the U.S. Navy also planned to modify the nuclear-powered cruiser "Long Beach", but the cost was close to building a new "Ticonderoga", the maintenance cost was twice as high, and the remaining life was 20 years, so the U.S. Navy decisively abandoned the renovation and upgrading plan. For the Russian Navy, there are really no big ships available. I can't afford to give up, so I have to pick two "indiscriminate" ships that are in better shape.
Although Kirov was a nuclear-powered cruiser, the chimney was still quite large
Russian nuclear-powered cruiser dismantled
It is worth mentioning that when the "Admiral Lazaev" was still called the "Frunze", it can be said that he was full of vigor and led the fleet all the way south from the Russian Pacific Fleet station, and encountered our 133 "Chongqing" and 534 "Jinhua" ships in the Tsushima Strait. The weak "Chongqing" ship was not afraid of a strong enemy and rushed up without hesitation, and this scene was recorded by the Japanese photographer Shibata Mizuo, who was renting a civilian plane at that time to shoot nearby, and achieved a classic legend. Looking back at the "Admiral Lazarev" that is being dismantled now, it is really sad.
The Chongqing warship attacked the Frunze ship
The "Admiral Lazaev" was towed to the shipbreaking yard