Soviet-era carrier Kiev becomes Chinese naval museum and stunt show venue

Near Beijing, the former Soviet aircraft carrier Kiev has been transformed from a Cold War warship into a seaside resort and naval aviation museum open to tourists. Visitors can stay overnight in the ship’s interior, and the vessel now hosts jet ski stunt shows inspired by cinematic post-apocalyptic themes. This unusual reuse of a military capital ship underscores how naval assets sometimes find entirely new roles after their service life ends.

Commissioned in 1975, the Kiev was originally the flagship of the Soviet Pacific Fleet and was designed as a heavily armed aircraft-carrying cruiser. The ship combined vertical takeoff Yakovlev Yak-38 jets with missile systems for anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare. Despite its intimidating design, the hybrid concept limited the Kiev’s combat effectiveness compared to American supercarriers, and it never fully matched US naval aviation capabilities.

Following the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 and Ukraine’s independence, the Kiev and other ships of its class became excess to Russian naval requirements. The 67,000-ton vessel was sold to Chinese investors in the mid-1990s. Unlike its sister ships, which were scrapped or mothballed, the Kiev was repurposed into a tourist attraction, reflecting China’s growing interest in naval power and maritime history.

China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has since evolved from operating a converted Soviet hull to developing modern aircraft carriers such as the domestically made Fujian, which uses electromagnetic catapults though lacks nuclear propulsion. The Kiev offers a tangible link to the beginnings of Chinese carrier aviation though it was not part of PLAN’s active fleet. It remains the only Soviet-era carrier preserved outside the United States as a floating museum.

The museum’s exhibits include Yak-38 jets and various Chinese fighter aircraft such as the Nanchang Q-5, Shenyang J-6, and Chengdu J-10. Onshore, a replica Russian street complements the naval displays with traditional food and gifts. The ship’s flight deck, once engineered with heat-resistant tiles to withstand jet exhaust, now serves as an observation platform overlooking the stunt shows on the water below.

The Kiev class carriers were designed uniquely as 'aircraft cruisers' to evade the Montreux Convention restrictions that barred large aircraft carriers from passing the Turkish Straits. Their production ceased in 1987 with the fourth ship, Admiral Gorshkov, which was later sold to India and transformed into the INS Vikramaditya. The Kiev class experienced curtailed service lives due to geopolitics and the Soviet dissolution.

The vessel’s sale to Chinese investors and its metamorphosis into a museum parallels China’s acquisition of the unfinished sister ship Varyag. Bought under the pretense of entertainment use, the Varyag was later completed as China’s first active carrier, renamed Liaoning. This acquisition marked the foundation of China’s ambitious aircraft carrier program that continues to expand today with nuclear-powered designs.

Inside the Kiev, renovated sections pay homage to its Soviet naval heritage with authentic restorations of missile magazines and sailor mess areas adorned with mannequins dressed as Soviet troops. The Binhai Aircraft Hotel occupies part of the hull, providing visitors with a luxury lodging experience inside the historic warship, blending military history with leisure tourism.

Now over 50 years old, the Kiev stands as a symbol of naval transition—from Cold War Soviet power to modern Chinese maritime ambitions—while offering aviation enthusiasts a rare glimpse into aircraft carrier evolution. Its status as a floating museum and entertainment venue marks a unique chapter in the afterlife of historic warships.