Russian president visits Atomflot, meets with the participants of the North Pole expeditions
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the base of Atomflot FSUE in Murmansk, including the Headquarters of Marine Operations of the Northern Sea Route General Administration, Federal State Budgetary Institution (NSR General Administration FSBI). The purpose of his visit was to see the present state of North Sea Route operations.
Sergey Zybko, Director General of NSR General Administration FSBI, reported that at the time of Putin’s visit, 50 ships were navigating the waters of the Northern Sea Route (the NSR), with a group of nine nuclear and non-nuclear icebreakers in operation.
The comprehensive development of the Russian Arctic is a national strategic priority. Increasing NSR traffic is crucial for the success of the outstanding tasks. This logistics corridor is being developed by facilitating regular cargo shipping, constructing new nuclear icebreakers, and modernizing the relevant infrastructure.
Rosatom State Nuclear Corporation is overseeing the federal project “Development of the Northern Sea Route” and also involved in the plan for the development of the Northern Sea Route until 2035 and the initiative for the socio-economic growth of the Russian Federation until 2030 "Year-Round Northern Sea Route" approved by the order of the Russian Government. One of Rosatom’s strategic goals is to make the NSR an effective transport artery connecting Europe, Russia, and the Asia-Pacific region. A federal project to develop the “Great” Northern Sea Route, a transport corridor from St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, was approved in December 2024.
Rosatom is the one and only operator of a fleet of nuclear icebreakers in the world. Construction of the universal nuclear icebreakers Chukotka, Leningrad, and the lead nuclear icebreaker Rossiya is underway. Another nuclear icebreaker under project 22220, Stalingrad, will also be laid down soon. According to Rosatom Director Alexey Likhachev, two more universal nuclear icebreakers are required to maintain steady operations in the North Sea Route.
During his visit, Vladimir Putin spoke with participants of the children's scientific and educational expeditions “Icebreaker of Knowledge”, organized by Rosatom. 12 schoolchildren from different regions of Russia took part in the conversation with the head of state.
Rosatom has been organizing science popularization expeditions for children to the North Pole since 2019. The project is aimed at popularizing natural sciences and advanced technologies, and to support children with high potential, develop their abilities, and provide them with career guidance. The project involves schoolchildren over 14 years old, winners of federal and industry projects, Olympiads, as well as participants in the Icebreaker of Knowledge competition.
