The heavy nuclear missile cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" of project 1144.2M is completing factory and sea trials, after which state trials will begin, sources familiar with the situation told "Izvestia". They are planned to be completed by the end of 2026.

During modernization, the ship received new strike capabilities. Universal launch systems ZS14 allow for a salvo of 80 missiles – Kalibr cruise missiles, supersonic Onyx anti-ship missiles, or hypersonic Zircon missiles. Previously, the arsenal was limited to 20 Granit anti-ship missiles. The cruiser was also equipped with a naval version of the S-400 air defense system, Pantsir-ME and Redut complexes, updated electronic equipment, and an AK-130 artillery system capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 25 km.

The ship was docked in 1999, actual modernization began in 2013, and the cost of work exceeded 200 billion rubles. Over 27 years, deadlines were repeatedly postponed, but after trials, the cruiser will become one of the most powerfully armed surface ships of the Russian Navy. Experts note that it will now be able to strike not only sea but also coastal targets, as well as protect civilian vessels.