The Russian designation for the type is "heavy nuclear missile cruiser", but Western defense commentators have resurrected the term "battlecruiser" to describe them, as they are the largest surface combatant warships in the world.
Penunjukan Rusia untuk jenis adalah "kapal penjelajah rudal berat", tapi komentator pertahanan Barat kembali menemukan istilah "battlecruiser" untuk menggambarkan ini; terbesar kapal perang kombatan permukaan di dunia.