The Kremlin has sunk millions of rubles into trying to resuscitate the fortunes of the 39-year-old Admiral Kuznetsov.

Admiral Kuznetsov, the Russian navy’s only aircraft carrier, hasn’t deployed in eight years—and it’s increasingly unlikely it will ever deploy again. That helps explain why, in recent months, the Kremlin reportedly reassigned the aging ship’s sailors to the army—and sent them into battle in Ukraine.

The crew of the only aircraft carrier in the Russian army's arsenal, Admiral Kuznetsov, is currently fighting on land in Ukraine, reported Forbes magazine portal. The decision to deploy sailors to land units is linked to personnel shortages and the aircraft carrier's technical condition.

While the only Russian aircraft carrier, Admiral Flota Sovietskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov, rusts and burns during repairs, its crew has been turned into a mechanized battalion and sent to Ukraine. We present the behind-the-scenes events and the performance of this vessel.