Could Russia have bought Kuznetsov from Ukraine?

Would Russia have been better off offering to buy Kuznetsov from Ukraine?

Affordability is questioned; the account instead emphasizes an arriving Northern Fleet officer's role in securing the carrier.

Buying the carrier raises the question of whether Russia could have afforded it at the time. The account describes the ship's commander as undecided about what to do. An officer arriving from the Northern Fleet is credited with securing the carrier for Russia. His name is unclear in the captions, and the outcome is described as having been capable of going either way.