Russian Aircraft Carrier On Its Way to North Atlantic
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, MOSCOW

The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov left the port of Murmansk
on March 23 to carry out military exercises in the north Atlantic,
Russian news reports said.

For two weeks, the Admiral Kuznetsov will implement a series of
military exercises involving the airplanes on board, ITAR-TASS quoted
the Russian Navy chief-of-command as saying.

More than 40 takeoffs are scheduled to take place during the exercises.


The Admiral Kuznetsov went into active service in 1993. It is 302 meters
long, weighs 55,000 tons, can reach a speed of 30 knots and can carry up
to 36 planes, 16 helicopters and 1,960 men.

The aircraft carrier last went into the open sea in November 2004.