Russia’s only aircraft carrier, which is currently undergoing repairs and is scheduled to resume operations in a few months, has experienced numerous incidents and accidents. Now, Russia’s only aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov has caught fire.
Just a few months before it was scheduled to sail again after extensive repairs, Russia’s sole aircraft carrier caught fire.
According to Alexei Rakhmanov, chairman of the state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), the Admiral Kuznetsov caught fire as it was about to be returned to the Russian navy following years of repairs.
“There has been a little problem during repairs,” Mr Rakhmanov said. “The blaze has been put out. All fire alarms worked normally. There are no casualties or damage.”
As reported by the Tass media outlet, about 20 individuals were rescued from the vessel that caught on fire at the drydock in the Arctic city of Murmansk early on Thursday morning.
Images of the cruiser that were posted on social media appeared to show heavy, grey smoke coming out of the ship’s side apertures.
Since a comprehensive overhaul commenced in 2017, the unfortunate aircraft carrier has experienced a string of accidents and disasters.
In 2019, a fire started by welding sparks that ignited an underwater fuel tank tore through parts of the ship, killing two people and injuring scores more.
In 2018, one of the world’s largest dry docks sank at a shipyard in Russia’s far north while the Admiral Kuznetsov was being dragged out. Soon after, a large crane dropped on the carrier’s deck, resulting in a hole above the waterline.
After the warship was relocated to a different dock, the military charged a contractor with subpar performance and held them responsible for significant delays in repairs.
The warship, which was first launched in 1985, was a key component of Russia’s effort to support Bashar Al Assad in the Syrian civil war.
The Admiral Kuznetsov is infamous for the heavy, foul smoke it emits while sailing.
The majority of Western warships rely on gas turbines or nuclear reactors, while the Kuznetsov is powered by Mazut, a highly toxic material that resembles tar.
In 2016, the warship, accompanied by British warships, belched black smoke into the air as it crossed the English Channel on its way to Syria.
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