Keel-laying ceremony of the 6^th universal nuclear-powered icebreaker Stalingrad under the project 22220 has begun in Baltic Shipyard of St. Petersburg, Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin took part via videoconference in the ceremony.

The ceremony took place on the eve of November 19, 1942, when the then Soviet counteroffensive began near Stalingrad, codenamed Operation Uranus, which changed history forever.

Vladimir Putin, in his speech, said:“The tasks before us are, without exaggeration, historic. It is important to consistently strengthen Russia's position in the Arctic, fully realize our country's logistics potential, and ensure the development of a promising Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok.”

The head of Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, noted:“Today our atomic power is a tool for creation. A nuclear-powered icebreaker is a peaceful atom in the service of people and the state.”

Project 22220 is a Russian program to build a series of the world's largest and most powerful nuclear-powered icebreakers. These vessels are designed to maintain the Northern Sea Route open year-round for cargo transport and for scientific expeditions in the Arctic. The icebreakers have a dual-draft design, allowing them to operate in both deep Arctic waters and shallow river estuaries. The icebreakers are capable of breaking through ice up to 3 meters thick.

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