The Kuznetsov aircraft carrier is the first ship of the Soviet/Russian third-generation 1143.5 aircraft carrier. It is the first true aircraft carrier of the Soviet Union and Russia, the world's first aircraft carrier to have both inclined and straight flight decks and ski jump flight decks, and the latest and only operational aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy. It is the main ship of the Russian Navy. The Kuznetsov aircraft carrier began construction on April 1, 1982 at the Nikolayev Shipyard in the Soviet Union. It was launched on December 4, 1985 and commissioned on January 21, 1991. The name was derived from the Soviet Navy Commander in Chief during World War II, Nikolai Gracimovi