Despite a destitute economy ravaged by Western economic sanctions, massive consumer inflation and an emaciated ruble, the government of President Vladimir Putin has bravely announced its intent to build the world's largest aircraft carrier.

Russia can apparently afford to build only one supercarrier only slightly more capable than the 10 operational Nimitz class, nuclear powered carriers of the U.S. Navy.

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The Russian announcement said its new carrier should enter service by 2030 and will have stealth capabilities. The proposed Russian supercarrier, according to a Kremlin press release, will carry up to 100 fixed and rotary winged aircraft. The U.S. Navy's Nimitz-class carriers can carry up to 90 of the same aircraft. 

Russia currently has only one carrier, the 55,000 ton Admiral Kuznetsov that is also the flagship of the Russian Navy or the Military-Maritime Fleet of the Russian Federation. This carrier can carry up to 38 fixed wing aircraft such as the SU-33 fighter. 

Launched by the Soviet Union in 1985, the Admiral Kuznetsov is now Russia's only active aircraft carrier. It also serves as the flagship of the Russian fleet.

Russian Navy Deputy Commander Rear Adm. Viktor Bursuk boasted that Russia's new aircraft carrier "will be a versatile warship equipped with manned and unmanned aircraft systems and also robotic systems capable of operating in all possible environments, including outer space."

Other Russian sources revealed this carrier will be the only one in the world capable of carrying 100 aircraft, including next-generation T-50 stealth fighter jets, MiG-29K fighters, airborne early-warning aircraft and anti-submarine warfare helicopters.

Unlike the U.S., Russia doesn't consider its aircraft carriers simply as floating airports for military aircraft. The Admital Kuznetsov is classed as an "aircraft cruiser", more specifically a "heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser".

This is because the Admiral Kuznetsov is more heavily armed with surface-to-air missiles, surface-to-surface missiles and anti-submarine missiles compared to the Nimitz-class. The new supercarrier is also expected to be classified as an aircraft cruiser.

Apart from disclosing its intent to build a new supercarrier, Russia intends to build 40 other warships to challenge the dominant U.S. Navy -- that is if Russia can find the money to do so.