Russia to scrap world's largest nuclear-powered warship

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky will be scrapped after the completion of repairs and modernization of the similar ship Admiral Nakhimov.

"The decision in principle to decommission the Pyotr Veliky [Peter the Great] has been made. It should happen after the Admiral Nakhimov returns to service," the Russian navy said, TASS reports.

The cruiser Pyotr Veliky was launched in 1989, in 1998 it joined the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy. The cruiser is equipped with the Granit anti-ship missile system and can hit surface targets.

The cruiser Admiral Nakhimov was launched in 1986 and commissioned in 1988. It is assigned to the Northern Fleet. In 1999 it was sent for repair and modernization. The ship is due to return to service in 2023.