Russia's Leningrad Nuclear Icebreaker to Be Launched in December

Recently, Russia's Baltic Shipyard (Baltic Shipyard) is stepping up construction of the fifth Project 22220 universal nuclear-powered icebreaker “Leningrad”, with a launching ceremony scheduled to be officially held on December 3 this year, “Nuclear Icebreaker Fleet Day”.

It is noted that choosing December 3 for the launch carries profound historical commemorative significance. On December 3, 1959, the world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker “Lenin” officially raised its flag, and this day was established as Russian Nuclear Icebreaker Fleet Day. As the fifth production vessel of Project 22220, the smooth progress of the “Leningrad” marks that Russia's polar nuclear-powered ship construction is maintaining an efficient and stable pace.

The Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreaker is currently the world's largest and most powerful icebreaking ship series, with an overall length of 173.3 meters, a width of 34 meters, a full-load displacement of 33,540 tons, two RITM-200 reactors, and a designed icebreaking thickness of up to 3 meters. Previously, four sister ships—the “Arktika”, the “Sibir”, the “Ural”, and the “Yakutia”—have successively entered routine escort operations in the Arctic sea route and the waters of the Yenisei River and the Ob Bay.

At present, the Baltic Shipyard under the United Shipbuilding Corporation is simultaneously advancing the construction of the “Chukotka”, the “Leningrad”, and the “Stalingrad”. As the launch date of the “Leningrad” approaches, Russia is steadily consolidating the nuclear-powered equipment foundation of its Arctic strategic corridor, providing solid support for ensuring the year-round smooth operation of the Eurasian maritime energy corridor.