From 1997 Admiral Nakhimov is undergoing a repair and a refit to receive new and improved weaponry and had been scheduled to re-enter service with the Russian Navy in around 2022.

[5] Later in the year it was again reported that the vessel's return to service might be delayed as late as 2024, with this being eventually confirmed by the head of United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov.

[citation needed] Later in 2006, she was undergoing refit at Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, but was reported finished ahead of schedule and was announced to again be in service with the Northern Fleet.

[14][15] In November 2010 the director of Sevmash, Nikolai Kalistratov, repeated this statement confirming that the Russian government had appropriated money for Admiral Nakhimov to be repaired in 2011 (costing over 50 billion rubles.)

[citation needed] Work on modernizing Admiral Nakhimov was resumed in January 2014 with the vessel being projected to rejoin the Russian Navy in 2018.

[24] In September 2019, state news agency TASS quoted Russian deputy defense minister Alexsey Krivoruchko that "It will be the most powerful navy warship.

[5] In January 2023, it was reported that the loading of fuel and work on the power supply had begun, and that ship testing would begin later in the year.

[29] In February 2023, the head of United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov confirmed that testing of the ship would begin later in the year, and that the vessel is expected to return to service in 2024.

[31] However on 21 June 2023, it was reported that Admiral Nakhimov would only begin sea trials in either December 2023 or May 2024, depending on how quickly modernisation work is completed.