MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/. The handover of the Admiral Nakhimov nuclear-powered battlecruiser (Project 11442M) to the Russian Navy after repairs will be possible in 2023, a defense industry source has told TASS.

"Due to problems with suppliers, the handover of the Admiral Nakhimov cruiser to the fleet is postponed until 2023 at best," he said.

The press service of the Sevmash shipyard, where the warship is undergoing repairs and modernization, did not comment on the information to TASS.

Sevmash CEO Mikhail Budnichenko said during the Army-2020 forum last August that the modernization proceeded according to the schedule. In his words, the warship is to begin trials in 2021 and will be handed over to the Navy in 2022.

After modernization and repairs, the Admiral Nakhimov will be the most powerful warship of the Russian Navy. It can carry various radars, offensive and defensive weapons.

The upgraded cruiser will fire hypersonic Tsirkon missiles, antiship Onyx missiles and Kalibr cruise missiles. Fort-M and Pantsir-M will provide air defense. The cruiser will carry powerful antisubmarine weapons.

The cruiser joined the Soviet Navy as the Kalinin in 1988. It was renamed in 1992. It has been overhauled by Sevmash since 1999, but the work actually began in 2013.