Kynda and Kresta cruisers as specialized missile ships

Were Soviet Kynda and Kresta cruisers better than contemporary Western cruiser classes?

Usually not as general-purpose ships, but their heavy anti-ship missile battery could make them preferable for a concentrated strike mission.

The Soviet Navy called these ships cruisers, and their displacement and historical context support that label despite later debate. Western ships are judged more reliable for many general tasks, while the Soviet designs retain a strong niche in delivering a heavy missile strike against a task group. The comparison is therefore about mission choice rather than a universal ranking.