maybe wrong choice of words but she was certainly not designed to be 100% aviation only otherwise the space that the Granit took would be utilized for more aircraft specific needs.
Soviet navy formulated ASCM-based approach in second half of 1950s, as a way of opposing crushing NATO naval superiority with reliance on emerging technologies. Partially it worked, but one critical problem was what no missiles could compensate for lack of aviation beyond coastal "umbrella".
It isn't just vulnerability to air strikes(as if it isn't enough) - it's whole set of different vulnerabilities in reconnaissance, asw, targeting, etc.
There actually was ironic saying "soviet oceanic nuclear-missile navy". Ironic part was, it was notoriously restricted in everything short of actual
nuclear war, diminishing own value as political tool greatly.
Even in this end war scenario everything was based on centers' ability to make decisions
fast. Carrier-less navy simply hadn't enough survivability to wait for any decisions, if cold war was to suddenly become less cold. Aside from being extremely expensive "one trick pony" it had one more major problem:
I believe most guys here know about US political discussion about their own land based nuclear missiles, namely - their vulnerability to catastrophic mistake(in case of incoming salvo you don't have time to think very much about possible mistakes - either you shoot, or your missiles will end up buried with you). Now imagine yourself to be a Soviet politburo guy, with yet another huge, "finger on button" nuclear force, located not in safety of Nevada desert, but deployed thin around whole globe, constantly contesting over something with
someone.
Scary prospective, isn't it?
This inflexibility finally led to decision to procure own full-sized carriers.
But, with overall strategy revolving around massive, coordinated multi axis ASCM salvoes - emerging aircraft vessels were also to participate. Basalt(SS-N-12), Granit(SS-N-19) are huge beasts: you simply don't have too many ships which can carry them.
Carriers were meant not to attempt to mimic American naval structure, but to give fulcrum to existing one:
-ensure task force will be capable to get into launch position;
-disrupt opponents' use of airspace(ASW, EW, C4&AEW, recon, etc);
-protect own aviation assets;
-help ASCMs salvoes to reach their target;
-disposal of smaller threats, if necessary.
And only afterwards - strikes against land targets, etc.
Notably, most of above-mentioned tasks don't require excessive sortie rate, associated with strike missions.