Kiev-class

The Project 1143 Krechyet class, designated the Kiev class, was developed as a follow-on to the Project 1123 Moskva-class anti-submarine warfare carriers. Following flight demonstrations of the Yak-36 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, the Soviet Navy redesigned the planned Project 1123 vessels to support fixed-wing operations.

The design combined the functions of a cruiser and an aircraft carrier, officially designated by the Soviet Navy as a "heavy aviation cruiser" (TAKR). This classification facilitated transit through the Turkish Straits under the Montreux Convention, which restricted the passage of aircraft carriers over a specific tonnage. The vessels featured a starboard island superstructure with an angled flight deck covering two-thirds of the total deck length. The foredeck was configured for surface-to-air and anti-ship missile systems. The class was intended to support ballistic missile submarines and surface groups while performing anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, and surface warfare missions.

Modifications were implemented across the four hulls produced. Kiev and Minsk (Project 1143) received aerodynamic fences and flight deck fairings in the early 1980s to improve airflow for short take-off and landing (STOL) operations. The Novorossiysk (Project 11433) omitted short-range air defense systems and internal missile reload bunkers. The Baku (Project 11434) featured a shortened island, enlarged elevators, and an expanded flight deck to accommodate the Yak-41. It replaced older air defense and artillery systems with vertical launch systems and different gun mounts, which allowed for an increased anti-ship missile battery on the foredeck.

The class entered service between 1975 and 1987. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the ships served with the Russian Navy. Kiev and Minsk were sold to China for use as museum ships and tourist attractions. Novorossiysk was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1997. The Baku, later renamed Admiral Gorshkov, was sold to the Indian Navy in 2004. Following modification and refurbishment, the vessel entered active service as the INS Vikramaditya.