Putin sends his flagship Pacific warship Varyag to Xi’s naval war games

Russia has deployed the Slava-class cruiser Varyag to China for the Joint Sea-2026 naval exercise in Qingdao. As the flagship of Russia's Pacific Fleet, the Soviet-era guided-missile cruiser joins Chinese warships for joint drills amid growing security tensions in the Indo-Pacific. Here's a closer look at the Varyag's capabilities, strengths and limitations.