A Van is right, Russia has no interest in power projection as such - it is not interested in acquiring overseas territories. Hence no real interest in carriers - its submarines do the necessary job of deterring naval incursions. As for "aggressive defence" - yes - why not - keep potential threats well away from your borders. If America stopped being stupid and trying to crowd Russia's borders, there would be no tension. We should perhaps have thought in the same terms, why do we need carriers today - except to trot after America in pointless (and usually unsuccessful) interventions in moslem countries. We should be concentrating on defence - naval and air - of our islands.