A Soviet nuclear carrier could project prestige while worsening economic strain

Would the Soviet Union have been better off without building its large nuclear-powered aircraft carrier?

Probably; it could become an imposing prestige unit, but construction would worsen the economic burden without proving the wider programme viable.

Successful completion would have been technically and visually impressive, but the national cost remains the central problem. Such a ship would deepen the Soviet Union's economic strain. If one survived, it might cruise with a Kirov-class battlecruiser as a high-status formation whose firepower demanded attention. Building a frightening prestige force would say little about whether the Soviet Union could sustain a viable fleet programme.