A Russian come back or come down?

[Kapitan]

Given the world is in recession, and that money is tight and not readily availible as it used to be im wondering now about this report or roumer that i have come accross.

apparently "The Russian navy seeks to re activate a kirov class cruiser admiral lazarev by the end of 2009"
Currently the admiral lazarev (used to be the frunze) has been laid up mothballed in severomorsk since 1998 and last went to sea in 1994, now i cant personally see this ship returning to sea by the end of this year simply because well its been laid up for 11 years and probably not moved and canabalised.

The ship was constructed in 1983 and was assigned to the pacfic fleet so i would immagine if it did get re activated it would return there

Currently the russian navy has two active kirovs admiral nakhimov and peter the great (admiral nakhimov under going over haul in servermorsk and should return to the fleet mid 2010).

My personal thing is should they even bother returning lazarev to service ? a now 26 year old cruiser even if they got 10 years out of it would it be worth it?

Currently the building plans started as of last year 12 borey SSBN's 24 Graney SSN's and a collection of new DDG's and FFG's with upto 6 new aircraft carriers.

Currently this has been scaled back and it looks like only two carriers will be built along with maybe a handful of new surface units and submarines the only area that has remained complete is the SSBN force but then again it is in dire need of replacement.

I see no reports to indicate the slava's and kirovs are to be replaced i doubt they ever will be seeing as they cost so much to build crew and maintain.

I am going to dig into the roumer about the lazarev is to be re activated and will post up anything i find.

Any ideas from you guys on the situation?