The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser “Admiral Nakhimov” has been under repair since 1999, but actual work only began in 2013. Currently, the ship is undergoing the final stage of deep modernization at the “Sevmash” enterprise, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). “The first sea trial of the cruiser is planned after the completion of the mooring trials complex in November 2024,” said USC head Andrei Puchkov. After returning to service, the cruiser will become the most powerful strike ship of the Russian Navy. The outdated systems on the “Admiral Nakhimov” have been completely replaced. It has been rearmed with modern “Onyx” and “Kalibr” missile systems. In the future, the cruiser will be equipped with hypersonic “Zircon” missiles. NATO experts have repeatedly called the “Onyx” and “Zircon” missiles the most serious threat to the Alliance’s fleet. It is expected that after the completion of the work, the cruiser will join the Northern Fleet and become the flagship (main ship) of the Russian Navy, while “Peter the Great” will be sent to the shipyard for modernization. At the end of December 2022, Vladimir Putin stated that the latest Russian nuclear missile carriers being created at USC enterprises have no analogs in the world in many characteristics. The modernization of the Northern Fleet is now a crucial task for the state. After Finland and Sweden joined NATO, the Alliance has increased its activity in the region. The Barents Sea area is considered a strategically important territory as it serves as an entrance to the Arctic, for the resources of which there will be fierce competition. In this situation, modernized and hypersonic missile-equipped heavy cruisers will play a key role in deterring threats in this direction.