Minsk was a Soviet light aircraft carrier with classic propulsion. The keel was laid under this unit in 1972, the launch took place in September 1975, and entry into service took place in 1978. The total length of the ship was 273 meters, the overall width was 32.7 meters, and her full displacement was about 38,000 tons. The maximum speed was up to 32 knots. The on-board armament included: 4 twin SS-N-12 rocket launchers, two SA-N-3 twin rocket launchers, two 76.2 mm twin cannons, and eight 30 mm AK-630 sets. The aircraft carrier could take on board up to 28 aircraft, including, for example, Ka-25 or Ka-27 helicopters or Jak-38 planes.
Minsk was the second-largest Kijew-class aircraft carrier (Kyiv, project 1143). This type of units was built on the basis of the experience gained from the operation of Moscow-class aircraft cruisers. Similarly to them, they have powerful on-board armament, corresponding to more than one destroyer of that time, but they also have a much more extensive air deck that allows the operation of Yak-38 planes. The main task of the Kijew type ships was to combat submarines (ZOP) - especially the American SSBN units armed with Polaris missiles. In peacetime, they played primarily a propaganda role and were to represent the naval power of the Soviet Union. One of the ships of this class, i.e. Minsk, was built on the Black Sea in Nikolaev. Shortly after entering service, Minsk was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet, but in 1979 it was transferred to the Pacific Fleet. In the years 1981-1982, after a series of Yak-38 accidents, the architecture of the aircraft carrier's launch deck was changed. In the years 1982-1983 the unit operated in the Indian Ocean basin, and in 1986 it represented the Soviet flag in the DPRK during a courtesy visit. In the early 1990s, a major overhaul of Minsk was planned, but the unit was finally decommissioned in 1993. The disarmed ship was purchased by one of the Chinese companies, towed to the PRC and rebuilt into a museum ship and entertainment center, a role it has been serving since 2000.