'' Admiral Kuznetsov '' remained in port for two years before preparing for another Mediterranean deployment scheduled for the winter of 2000 – 2001 . This deployment was cancelled due to the explosion and sinking of the nuclear-powered submarine '' Kursk '' . '' Admiral Kuznetsov '' participated in the '' Kursk '' rescue and salvage operations in late 2000 . Plans for further operations were postponed or cancelled . In late 2003 and early 2004 , '' Admiral Kuznetsov '' went to sea for inspection and trials . In October 2004 , she participated in a fleet exercise of the Russian Navy in the Atlantic Ocean . During a September 2005 exercise , an Su-33 accidentally fell from the carrier into the Atlantic Ocean . On 27 September 2006 , it was announced that '' Admiral Kuznetsov '' would return to service in the Northern Fleet by the year 's end , following another modernization to correct some technical issues . Admiral Vladimir Masorin , Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy , also stated that Su-33 fighters assigned to her would return after undergoing their own maintenance and refits
explosion and sinking
Kursk submarine disaster
Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov