The Admiral Kuznetsov is the sole Russian aircraft carrier in its fleet. It is the flagship of the Russian Navy and is a heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser. It is intended to support and defend strategic missile-carrying submarines, surface ships, and naval missile-carrying aircraft of the Russian Navy. The aircraft compliment is approximately 41 aircraft of the latest design. This should not be construed as a threat to the United States Sixth Fleet. It is, however, a statement to the Russian resolve to carry out its agenda in the Middle East.

Admiral Kuznetsov

Russian aircraft carrier to go to Mediterranean Sea carrying new fighters

From TASS Russian News Agency on April 02

Its aviation grouping will include fighters Sukhoi Su-33 (Flanker-D) and Mikoyan MiG-29K (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-D)

MOSCOW, The Admiral Kuznetsov heavy aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy in autumn will arrive in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, its aviation grouping will include fighters Sukhoi Su-33 (Flanker-D) and Mikoyan MiG-29K (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-D), a source told TASS on Saturday.

MiG-29K/KUB fighters were tested at the Admiral Kuznetsov back in 2009, but since then they have not been deployed there on a permanent base.

“According to plans of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, the Admiral Kuznetsov in September-October will enter the Mediterranean Sea, where it will become a flagship of the Russian Navy’s grouping,” the source said. “The aircraft carrier will have on board a mixed group of deck jets Sukhoi Su-33, Su-25UTG and Mikoyan MiG-29K.”