A 19,000-ton Lider would sit awkwardly under the destroyer label. In an earlier era, a nuclear ship of this scale might have been called a cruiser or something larger. Its intended job is to carry substantial firepower, defend itself, lead a task group, and make a statement wherever it appears. China's Type 055 shows how the high-end destroyer category now includes ships with diplomatic and capital-ship functions. The central question concerns Russia's missing next generation of visible status vessels, rather than another conventional escort.
Notable Point · 39:34-41:29
The destroyer label masks a capital-ship role
A 19,000-ton Lider would function more like an earlier cruiser or battleship: a heavily armed flagship whose arrival is itself a diplomatic event.