Russia to launch first Leader-class nuclear icebreaker in 2028

11 December 2025

The launching ceremony for the nuclear-powered icebreaker Rossiya—the first icebreaker of the Leader class—has been scheduled for February 2028, the IAA PortNews reported.

The construction of the vessel is now advanced in 26.9%, according to Atomflot, as quoted by PortNews. The construction of the second RITM-400 nuclear reactor for the icebreaker’s propulsion is currently being completed. The first RITM-400 reactor for the ship was manufactured by Rosatom in September 2025.

The icebreaker Rossiya—with a 120 MW turbo-electric propulsion plant (4 shafts × 30 MW each)—will be the first Leader class nuclear-powered vessel of Project 10510 (LK-120Ya, Лидер). The key particulars of the vessel are: length 210 meters; breadth 47 meters; draft 13 meters. The icebreaker will be powered by two RITM-400 reactors of 315 MW thermal output each.

The vessel will be the largest and most powerful icebreaker in the world, capable of breaking 4-meter-thick ice to make a 50-meter-wide channel. The icebreaker will provide year-round escort for large vessels in the waters of the Northern Sea Route (NSR).

The keel-laying ceremony was held on July 6, 2020. Rosatom was named as the shipbuilding program state contractor, with Atomflot as the developer. The icebreaker is built by Zvezda Shipbuilding in Bolshoy Kamen, Primorsky Krai.

The delivery of the ship was originally scheduled for December 2027, but was delayed due to the Ukrainian conflict, as certain components originally ordered from Ukrainian suppliers could not be delivered. According to some earlier reports, the completion of the project was to be postponed by several years.

Source: IAA PortNews