It will cost nearly one billion dollars to repair Russia's only aircraft carrier

Russia is reportedly spending almost $1 billion dollars to renovate its one aircraft carrier, the smoke-billowing “Admiral Kuznetsov.” A source told the news agency Interfax that this price tag represents a “fairly optimistic version of the repairs and modernization” that are apparently “already signed and approved” for the Kuznetsov.

Commissioned in 1991, the Kuznetsov made international headlines in late 2016, when it bellowed thick smoke on its journey through the English Channel to the shores of Syria, where it took part in Russia’s military intervention on behalf of the Syrian government. When it returned home for repairs, sources told the media that the renovations could cost as little as 22 billion rubles ($347.3 million).

There’s no official timeline for the restoration work, but the Defense Ministry reportedly expects to have the carrier back in its fleet by 2021.