Does Russia need an atomic super-icebreaker for 70 billion?

The further development of the Arctic is one of the most important strategic tasks facing our country. Rich in natural resources and very significant from the point of view of maritime communications between Europe and Asia, the Far North needs increased attention and the country's authorities are gradually beginning to understand this. But to develop the Arctic, you need a good techniqueFirst of all, icebreakers capable of moving in the northern seas. In 2023, the atomic icebreaker "Leader" should be launched. This unique ship, as stated, will be able to pass through the ice up to four meters thick. But the most interesting thing is that the company, which can build a new icebreaker, has not yet begun its work.





The Zvezda shipyard is now being built at an accelerated pace in the Far East. The construction of the enterprise began in 2009, initially as a transnational project of the Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation and the shipbuilding company Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co (DSME) from the Republic of Korea. But then the Korean company refused to participate in the project; only Russians were engaged in the construction of the enterprise. "Zvezda" is being built by Rosneft, Rosneftegaz and Gazprombank, which are interested in the emergence of a new enterprise.

It was the representatives of Zvezda that they announced that they could accept the order for the construction of a unique nuclear icebreaker, since they had all the necessary resources for this, including factory facilities, equipment and specialists of the appropriate level. Not only icebreakers, but also other very necessary vessels and watercraft are going to be built on Zvezda. Indeed, Russia's needs for large tankers, floating platforms for the needs of the oil and gas industry, the energy industry, have only recently been growing.

70 billion rubles are allocated for the construction of the nuclear icebreaker "Leader". Naturally, not only the "Star" expresses a desire to build a new ship. So, the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg, on which nuclear-powered icebreakers have already been built, has stated its desire to assume the responsibility for fulfilling the order, though of much smaller size and capacity. However, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Oleg Ryazantsev told the press that the icebreaker will still be built in the Far East, without disclosing, however, information about which company Leader will build. It is known that the decision on where the icebreaker will be built will be personally announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the upcoming Eastern Economic Forum in September.

The appearance of a new icebreaker, scheduled for 2023, will be a grand event in the history of the development of Arctic spaces. Moreover, now more and more often in Russia, and in Europe, and in China they talk about the need for more active use of the Northern Sea Route, which can be a great alternative to the traditional route from Europe to Asia via the Suez Canal. Russia is very interested in the development of Arctic shipping, because, due to its geographical position, it is our country that can become the main recipient of the benefits of the active use of the Northern Sea Route. The icebreaking fleet has a special and very important role in the development of the Arctic, since shipping in this region is practically impossible without it.