Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Russia’s “Arctic power” on Tuesday at a ceremony to launch two nuclear-powered icebreakers that will provide year-round navigation in the western Arctic.
Presiding via video conference from the Kremlin at a launch ceremony in the former imperial capital of St Petersburg in northern Russia, Putin said such icebreakers were of strategic importance to the country.
“Both icebreakers are part of a large-scale project and demonstrate our work to update and replenish the national fleet of icebreakers to strengthen Russia’s status as an Arctic superpower,” Putin said.
The Arctic is becoming increasingly strategically important due to climate change as the shrinking ice sheet opens up new sea lanes. Russia’s Arctic regions are home to vast oil and natural gas resources, including a liquefied natural gas plant on the Yamal Peninsula.
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Nuclear icebreakers of Yakutia and the Urals
Putin smiled during the launch of the Yakutia nuclear-powered icebreaker and stood during the Russian national anthem to honor the raising of the Russian flag on the Ural icebreaker, which will begin operations in December.
With a length of 173.3 meters and a displacement of up to 33,540 tons, Yakutia can break through ice up to three meters deep. It will enter service in 2024.
Two more icebreakers of the same series, “Arctic” and “Siberia”, are already in operation, another one, “Chukotka”, is planned for 2026.
Putin said that by 2027, the 209-meter super-powerful nuclear icebreaker “Russia” with a displacement of up to 71,380 tons, which will be able to break ice four meters thick, will be completed.
“They are necessary for the study and development of the Arctic, for ensuring safe and stable shipping in this region, for increasing traffic along the Northern Sea Route,” Putin said.
“The development of this most important transport corridor will allow Russia to make greater use of its export potential and establish effective logistics routes, including to Southeast Asia.”
Putin wants to strengthen his presence in the Arctic
Putin, who came to power in 1999 promising to end the chaos caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union, has quietly strengthened Russia’s presence in the Arctic, where it has more than 15,000 miles (24,000 km) of coastline stretching from the Barents Sea to the Sea of Okhotsk .
Since 2005, Russia has rebuilt dozens of Soviet-era military bases in the Arctic, modernized its navy and developed new hypersonic missiles designed to evade US sensors and defenses.
Arctic experts say it will take at least 10 years for the West to catch up with Russia’s military in the region, if it chooses to do so.
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