Kiev displaced about 45,000 tons and measured 273 metres long, compared with roughly 24,000 tons and 209 metres for Invincible. Kiev's eight turbo-pressurized boilers drove four turbines and four shafts, producing a stated 200,000 shaft horsepower. Invincible used four Rolls-Royce Olympus gas turbines, with two connected to each shaft, for 100,000 shaft horsepower. Taking one turbine out for maintenance left its shaft available for reduced-speed operation. Published figures gave Kiev 32 knots and Invincible 28 knots, with the British ship also credited with 7,000 nautical miles at 18 knots. Separate diesel generators supplied Invincible's accommodation and other hotel loads. A combined electrical system could have allowed diesel and gas-turbine machinery to contribute to propulsion, but direct drive was preferred for reliability.
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Kiev and Invincible compared in size and propulsion
Kiev was nearly twice Invincible's displacement and used four-shaft steam machinery, while the smaller British ship relied on maintainable twin-shaft Olympus gas-turbine propulsion.