Sigh.
This old chestnut again, fellows.....
Russia has already laid down two large Type 23900 Universal Amphibious Assault Ships.
These were laid down simultaneously on the 20th July 2020 in Zaliv, and both have names already.
Ivan Rogov and Mitrofan Moskalenko.
These are larger than the Mistral Class, with latest reports being they are in the region of about 30 000t plus.
This was widely reported on with news and videos of the event, with President Putin himself being there, gave a speech, and screwed the brass nameplates on himself at the ceremony.
It's been mentioned already on this very thread.
It's not exactly a secret, and the info is freely available out there, only a few clicks away and some basic searching.
Yantar has also laid down two Ivan Gren follow-ons, a larger, different design of about 9 000t.
In my analysis, there must be a sound reason Russia wants to keep Kuznetsov around, and it's shipborne fixed-wing aviation going.
These are dots that can be connected.
This does not mean that a new carrier is imminent. This is unknowable right now, except within the top Russian naval and political circles. I personally suspect post 2030 sometime, unless there is a further and rapid deterioration in global politics.
The only thing I wonder about is what form a new Russian carrier will take.
There has been sustained and easily verifiable reinvestment into Russian shipyards. There is a huge new modern shipyard, Zvezda, nearing completion in Vladivostok, and although slated to initially build very large vessels for oil and gas, it is owned by USC. It has already launched a 114 000t dwt tanker with facilities that were completed in the 1st phase of the shipyard construction, and will have the ability to construct ships up to 350 000t.
It is tailor made for a new carrier.
If Russia replaces Kuznetsov, it will build it herself. It will not buy a carrier from China when it simply doesn't need to.
So, not meant personally Kat Tsun, and with respect, but IMHO your analysis regarding vessel size of the surface fleet is demonstrably very, very wide off the mark. Miles wide.
