Russian battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy

On 8 September 2008, it was announced that Pyotr Velikiy would sail to the Caribbean Sea to participate in naval exercises with the Venezuelan Navy, along with the destroyer Admiral Chabanenko and other support ships. This action would represent the first major Russian show of force in the Caribbean since the end of the Cold War.[4] On 22 September Pyotr Velikiy and Admiral Chabanenko left their homeport of Severomorsk.[5] On 22 October, Pyotr Velikiy made a port visit to Aksaz Karagac, Turkey[6] and on 6–9 November the cruiser and Admiral Chabanenko made a port visit to Toulon, France,[7] before departing the Mediterranean on 10 November, passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.[8] Pyotr Velikiy arrived in La Guaira, Venezuela on 25 November,[9] coinciding with a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. A combined exercise, VENRUS-200, with the Venezuelan Navy took place on 1–2 December 2008.[10]

After finishing the exercises, Admiral Chabanenko made a short visit to Panama 5–10 December, then to Bluefields, Nicaragua from 13 to 15 December[11] and sailed into Havana, Cuba on 19 December.[12] Pyotr Velikiy continued alone to Cape Town, South Africa. On 11 January 2009, the chief of the Russian General Staff announced that Pyotr Velikiy and six other Russian warships would participate in a joint naval exercise with the Indian Navy later the same month. The Kirov-class cruiser paused for three days to visit Cape Town before continuing on to India. On 31 January Pyotr Velikiy left the port of Mormugao in the Indian state of Goa. After a two-day visit that included a naval exercise with the Indian guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi the cruiser left for African waters where the vessel joined other warships from the Russian navy and conduct the INDRA-2009 exercise. On 12 February, the ship captured ten pirates in three boats off the coast of Somalia.[13] On 10 March, Pyotr Velikiy returned to her homeport of Severomorsk, ending a six-month deployment.[14]

On 30 March 2010, Pyotr Velikiy left the Northern Fleet for a new six-month deployment. During her six-month tour of duty, the warship passed through the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea before entering the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal. In the Indian Ocean the cruiser conducted maneuvers with other Russian warships from the Black Sea Fleet. On 14 April the missile cruiser visited the Mediterranean port of Tartus in Syria. In September 2008, Russia was reported to be in talks with Syria about turning Tartus into a permanent base for Russian warships in the Middle East. In early May, Pyotr Velikiy met up with the cruiser Moskva in the South China Sea. There they conducted joint exercises and held a traditional farewell ceremony on 5 May. The two vessels were due to arrive in Russia's Far Eastern port of Vladivostok to take part in the Vostok-2010 large-scale strategic exercise. On 29 September Pyotr Velikiy returned to her home base in the Northern Fleet after six months at sea. The flagship of the Northern Fleet had covered about 28,000 nautical miles (52,000 km; 32,000 mi) since the beginning of the mission on 30 March.

During early September 2013 Pyotr Velikiy led a flotilla of Russian Navy ships through the Russian portion of the Northern Sea Route in preparation for establishment of regular patrols.[15]

Pyotr Velikiy (background) escorted by HMS Dragon (foreground) off the coast of the United Kingdom in May 2014

In 2014, Pyotr Velikiy along with Admiral Kuznetsov and the tankers Sergey Osipov, Kama and Dubna; the tugboat Altay, and the Ropucha-class landing ship Minsk (122) entered the English Channel to sail north.[16] The British destroyer HMS Dragon monitored the Russian task group as it neared the United Kingdom. Once the ships spotted each other they sailed briefly close by as a standard 'meet and greet'. Pyotr Velikiy participated with the Chinese frigate Yancheng and western vessels in the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons.[17]

In May 2016 Pyotr Velikiy put to sea for the first time in two years for drills off the coast of Northern Russia.[18] On 15 October Pyotr Velikiy left Severomorsk to escort Admiral Kuznetsov to the Mediterranean along with supply ships and two Udaloy class destroyers, Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov. They were heading to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Syrian government forces battling rebel troops in Aleppo. Pyotr Velikiy passed through the Norwegian Sea and the English Channel, along with the rest of the Russian Northern Fleet on 21 October, shadowed by the British destroyer HMS Dragon.[19]

On July 17, 2017 Pyotr Velikiy left Severomorsk together with Dmitry Donskoy, a support vessel and a frigate to participate in the Russian Navy Day celebrations in Kronstadt. The convoy went through Storebælt, the only Danish strait deep enough for the Donskoy.[20]

On 6 April 2019, the ship entered Barents Sea with cruiser Marshal Ustinov and several nuclear submarines.[21] On 10 October, she went into Barents Sea with some 15 other warships, submarines, and auxiliary ships to conduct large-scale drills.[22]

On 29 May 2020, she went to Barents Sea for exercise.[23] On 11 July, Pyotr Veliky along with cruiser Marshal Ustinov held an exercise in the Barents Sea, both shooting Granit and Vulkan missiles, respectively.[24]

On 24 May 2021 Pyotr Veliky went to sea along with some 10 other warships,[25] including Marshal Ustinov.[26] On 7 June, Pyotr Veliky was still reported at sea, taking part in a 20-ship strong exercise.[27] On 1 July 2021, she went to sea again.[28] On 15 September, the cruiser conducted an exercise in the Barents Sea along with the cruiser Marshal Ustinov, both shooting Granit and Vulkan missiles, respectively.[29]

On 29 January, the cruiser conducted an air defence drill, without leaving the port.[30] On 15 February, Pyotr Veliky, frigate Admiral Gorshkov, diesel and nuclear submarines started an exercise in the Barents Sea.[31][32] Between 15 and 17 March, she and destroyer Severomorsk held an exercise between Norway and Iceland, during the large-scale NATO naval exercise.[33] On 18 April, Pyotr Veliky was at sea again, conducting an artillery exercise in the Barents Sea.[34] In June, the sailors started preparation for the Navy day parade in July.[35] Between 17 and 26 August, Pyotr Veliky was at sea during a large-scale exercise and shot a Granit missile on 24 August.[36][37] She was accompanied by destroyer Admiral Ushakov and an unknown number of submarines. At the same time, in the eastern part of the Barents Sea, destroyer Admiral Levchenko, LST Aleksandr Otrakovsky and tanker Sergey Osipov were active and embarked on a voyage eastwards along the Northern Sea Route.[38][39] During the exercise, destroyer Severomorsk and LST Ivan Gren also passed through the Barents Sea on a way from the main naval parade in St. Petersburg to Severomorsk.[40] On 27 October, she was underway in the Barents Sea.[41] The cruiser went to sea again on 1 November.[42]

On 20 April 2023, it was reported that Pyotr Veliky may be withdrawn from service once her sister ship Admiral Nakhimov returns to service. This decision is allegedly being considered due to the high cost of modernisation.[43][44] However, it was also reported that no decision had been made to withdraw the vessel from service.[45]