Pictures: Lenin Nuclear Icebreaker Towed for Maintenance

The icebreaker’s development was launched in 1953 by government decree. In the mid-20th century, common diesel icebreakers’ fuel supply could only last about a month, which was way shorter than the needs of the northern navigation. Therefore, there was an urgent demand for a vessel that could accompany convoys for a longer time.

It was built in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) in 1956-1959. Over 500 factories and industrial facilities across the Soviet Union took part in its creation. Lenin was commissioned on December 3, 1959.

The vessel’s maintenance is part of the major repair work dedicated to the anniversary of Russia’s nuclear icebreaker fleet.

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Lenin’s design was revolutionary at the time, implementing a highly durable body, a nuclear installation, and automatic controls.

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During its construction and testing stage, the ship welcomed a number of foreign delegations and representatives, including Cuba’s Fidel Castro, British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan and then-US Vice President Richard Nixon.

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Lenin’s efficiency confirmed the need for nuclear-powered vessels, paving the way for the development of an entirely new industry of civil nuclear shipbuilding.

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The ship has escorted thousands of ships in the ice of the Arctic, and has traveled 654,400 nautical miles, which is more than three times the distance from the Earth to the Moon.

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In 1989, the ship was decommissioned. Amid rumors of Lenin’s possible utilization, veterans of the country’s icebreaker fleet managed to keep it from being scrapped.

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Russia’s Rosatom state corporation funded the icebreaker’s restoration, radioactive clean up and stationing at the Murmansk Marine Station.

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In January 2016, Lenin was included in the Russian unified state register of cultural heritage sites of federal importance.

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