Russia's Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier will be upgraded in 2018 after returning from service, Vice President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) Igor Ponomarev said Wednesday.

"We expect that in 2018, after the return of the ship from military service, the Zvezdochka shipyard will embark on repairs with modernization of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier," Ponomarev told RIA Novosti.

The carrier has begun taking part in combat operations as part of the naval task force in Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday.