According to Admiral Kasatonov, assignment of Peter the Great to the Northern Fleet is beneficial from an economic point of view. Some of the still unfinished systems and facilities on board the vessel will be completed in a few years to come. Since the scientific and industrial potential of the country is concentrated in its European part, keeping the cruiser in the Northern Fleet will help to reduce future expenses said Kasatonov.

The vessel has now completed some 85% of its final test procedures. Since its arrival at Severomorsk, home base of the Northern Fleet, in November last year, the cruiser idled for almost one year, as no funds were available for the completion of its test cycle. At the end of this September, the cruiser finally left port for the Barents Sea. At that time, remaining tests required some 20 million USD, but only 8.6 USD were actually allocated.

If the cruiser passes its final exams this year, it is expected it will leave for extended sea trials next year, cruising the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.