Damage From Recent Fire Aboard Russia's Only Aircraft Carrier Totals $6.5Mln - Shipbuilder

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd April, 2020) The damage from the recent fire aboard Russia's only aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is estimated at about 500 million rubles ($6.5 million), United Shipbuilding Corporation President Alexey Rakhmanov told Sputnik, noting that the blaze did not affect the timing of the repairs of the ship.

The aircraft carrier, docked for overhaul in Russia's northern city of Murmansk, caught a fire on December 12 during welding operations, when a spark fell into a hold space where fuel was spilled.

It took over a day to extinguish the blaze, in which two people were killed and over 10 others injured.

"The damage from the fire is estimated at about 500 million rubles. This is a preliminary estimate, perhaps it will be somehow adjusted, but not very significantly," Rakhmanov said.

He added that, despite the inferno, the ship's overhaul would complete as scheduled, with the vessel still set to be transferred to the navy in 2022.