Compared with other cities in Ukraine that are open to foreign tourists, this heavy industrial city that has not yet been opened to the outside world is of extremely important significance to Ukraine and even the entire former Soviet Union.
Here is located the largest shipyard in the Black Sea region, Nikolaev Shipyard, also known as the Black Sea Shipyard.
As the only aircraft carrier construction and assembly plant in the Soviet era, several aircraft carriers in the Soviet era - "Moscow", "Leningrad", "Kiev", "Minsk", "Novorossiysk",
The Gorshkov and the Kuznetsov were all built at the Nikolaev Shipyard.
In its most glorious period, the Nikolayev Shipyard had more than 25,000 employees at its peak, covering an area of 302 hectares (including 42 hectares of water surface area), an outfitting dock with a total length of 2,675 meters, a total length of 29 kilometers of roads, and 29 kilometers of railways.
The total length is 49 kilometers, with a total of 2,100 cranes...
However, all this grandeur disappeared with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Since Gorbachev announced the disintegration of the Soviet Union a few days ago, the Nikolaev Shipyard has been placed under the ownership of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian government, which is financially strapped, issued an order after acquiring the shipyard, which was to immediately suspend the shipyard.
All projects.
In addition to the "Kuznetsov" aircraft carrier that was hastily driven away by the Russian Navy, the other two unfinished aircraft carriers were quietly paralyzed in the suddenly silent shipyard, as if they were two
Like a cold steel tomb.
They are the "Varyag" which has not yet completed outfitting at this time and is parked at the mouth of the Nange River outside the factory. It will have to wait for nearly twenty years before its true owner can be renamed "Varyag".
"Liaoning".
as well as……
The "Ulyanovsk" nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which is still lying quietly on the No. 0 slipway, has completed 30% of its construction rate, and has all its core components in place. It is the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the world that has the potential to compete with
A heavy aircraft carrier comparable to the U.S. Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.
You know, it is not a steam turbine-powered aircraft carrier like Varyag.
This is a nuclear-powered model with a displacement of more than 80,000 tons and nearly unlimited endurance. It is the only highly efficient war beast that is equipped with a steam catapult for ejection and take-off and can accommodate nearly 70 carrier-based aircraft.
If this series is successfully developed, it will soon exceed the 100,000-ton displacement, just like the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, and become the top predator for mankind to dominate the oceans.
Thirty years after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, no other country has been able to build an aircraft carrier similar to it.
As for nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, apart from the United States, there is only the "Charles de Gaulle" built by the French Navy a few years later, a medium-sized aircraft carrier whose full load displacement is not even as good as the Varyag.
"What a beautiful child this is..."
The empty Nikolayev Shipyard has Slip No. 0, which has been idle for almost two months.
Makarov, the old factory director, clasped his hands behind his back, raised his head and looked at the "child" in front of him, which was about to complete the assembly of the main body, and sighed heavily, his voice full of helplessness and desolation - the shipyard has never been so quiet as now.
Pass.
As a meritorious old man who led this shipyard to glory, Makarov devoted almost his whole life to this place full of steel and seawater. What he was most proud of was that he successfully transformed the Soviet Union's large-scale
The ship construction project has become a streamlined operation.
Compared with the United States, which takes ten years to build an aircraft carrier, on its No. 0 slipway, the Soviet Union only needs three years to complete the entire process from construction to launch of a new aircraft carrier, and start immediately
The next big build.
For him, the construction task of the "Ulyanovsk" was like a door to a new world. He was already standing at the door and looking inside, the door exuded countless exciting things.
The light of hope that fascinates people.
It's just that... this light has now become extremely slim and weak with the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
"How are the negotiations between Kiev and Russia going?"
Makarov sighed heavily again and asked softly without looking back.
"Still no progress, all bad news."
Yevgeny, the chief accountant of the shipyard standing next to Makarov, shook his head, his face full of sorrow.
"Russia refuses to purchase and continue to pay the subsequent construction costs of the "Ulyanovsk", and they are only willing to pay 30% of the payment for the "Varyag" on the grounds that the previous costs have already been borne by the alliance.
Yes, they are unwilling to pay the price of a complete warship..."
"Are there any new orders recently?"
"There is only one shipbuilding company from Norway. They have initially reached an agreement with the government for a total of six large merchant ships. Only our shipyard's No. 0 slipway in Europe can build them. The demand for the order is very urgent and they require construction to begin immediately, but the deposit is still low.
It’s very lucrative, enough to support the operation of our shipyard for many years to come.”
"Hmph, of course... this is a slipway that can mass-produce aircraft carriers. Those companies have probably been coveting this place for a long time."
Makarov snorted lightly and shook his head in disbelief.
Although he was not extremely disgusted with those profit-seeking capitalists, he did not have any favorable impressions, if it were not for the purpose of maintaining the livelihood of the entire factory...and in any case, he had no right to reject the government's decision.
"But if the No. 0 slipway must be used, what should we do with the Ulyanovsk? Do we need to push it directly into the sea?! The country has spent more than 30,000 tons of steel on it, and it is only the last step.
The slipway closing process has begun.”
"I heard from President Kravchuk's staff that they suggested dismantling the Ulyanovsk to free up slip space and complete important orders from Norwegian friends as soon as possible. Because the country and shipyards need this money to survive.
.Fortunately, there is also an American scrap steel recycling company willing to buy back the steel at a high price."
"Tear it down...?"
Makarov raised his head and looked at the steel behemoth in front of him that carried the Soviet Union's most cutting-edge technology. There was a hint of pain and sadness in his eyes - he had been feeling something ominous ever since Russia refused to buy this giant ship.
premonition.
"It seems like we have no other choice, right?"
"That's not true. In fact, there is a third option for you...to complete it."
At this moment, a clear girl's voice with a slight British accent came from behind the two of them.
"Who?! Guard!"
Makarov and Yevgeny turned around suddenly and looked behind them with wary expressions.
They saw a little silver-haired girl standing behind them with a smile. Surrounded by her were several strange old men holding small wooden sticks. As for the guards who were originally following the two of them, all of them had fainted unconscious.
on the ground.
"Don't panic, I don't mean any harm. They just fainted temporarily and will wake up soon."
The girl shrugged, her eyes fell on the two Soviet old men with wary faces, and the corners of her mouth raised slightly. (Picture.jpg)
"Let me introduce myself first, Theresa Apokalis, from Tianming Group... We are very rich."