Russia is unmatched worldwide. Putin launches construction of a unique icebreaker

The ceremony was attended via videoconference by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This is the seventh ship of the unique Project 22220: four vessels — "Arktika," "Siberia," "Ural," and "Yakutia" — are already successfully operating in Arctic waters, supporting navigation along the Northern Sea Route. Another icebreaker — "Chukotka" — is in the final stages of construction and will begin operation next year, while the sixth ship of the series — "Leningrad" — is under construction on the slipways.

The President emphasized the historic significance of the event and noted that the choice of the name "Stalingrad" immortalizes the heroic feat of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War. The new icebreaker is equipped with a modern "RITM-200" reactor installation, which has high power and compact dimensions, allowing the vessel to reach a speed of up to 22 knots and break through ice up to 3 meters thick. The service life of each ship is estimated at 40 years.

With the development of the nuclear icebreaker fleet, Russia maintains unique leadership in the world — no other country possesses a comparable number or quality of icebreakers capable of providing uninterrupted navigation in Arctic conditions. This is a key element of the national Arctic development strategy, securing the safety and economic potential of the Northern Sea Route.