There is a disagreement as to whether the Russia first "true" icebreaker was Pilot (manufactured in Great Britain in 1862, whose ice-breaking capabilities were enhanced in Russia in 1864) or genuinely first 1898 Arctic ice-faring icebreaker Yermak.
Classification
In Russia, icebreakers are classified in several ways, according to different criteria:ЛедоколКлассификация Российского морского регистра судоходства (Classification of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping) By purpose Leader icebreakers: The most powerful icebreakers that head ship caravans Line icebreakers: For guiding and towing of ships on sea routes, for freeing ice-stuck ships Auxiliary icebreakers: for work in ports, river mouths, and for emergency rescue operations By ice passability: heavy icebreakers can break through ice up to 2 m thick medium icebreakers, for ice from 1 to 1.5 m thick light icebreakers, for ice less than 1 m thick By power type: Steam engine; obsolete, unused Diesel-electric engine; the most common type Nuclear-powered icebreakers By operating method Ice-cutting. These ships existed in 19th-20th centuries, and for them the term was used in RussiaЛЕДОРЕЗ, citing Военно-морской словарь. — Moscow, 1990. Ice-breaking By operational area River icebreakers Marine icebreakers Port icebreakers
The official classification of a particular vessel may be found in the database of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.
The following lists include icebreakers owned and/or operated by either governmental or commercial entities. Ships known to be currently in service are presented in bold.Major icebreakers of the world. USCG Office of Waterways and Ocean Policy.
Nuclear-powered icebreakers
The following ships are nuclear-powered icebreakers; (1959–1989; museum ship in Murmansk)
(1975–2008; ex-Leonid Brezhnev, ex-Arktika; decommissioned)Russia prepares to dismantle first nuclear icebreaker ever. Bellona, 14 November 2016. (1977–1992; decommissioned) (1985–2013; decommissioned)Russian nuclear icebreaker Rossiya taking last voyage along Norway’s coast. Bellona, 11 April 2013. (1990–2014; decommissioned)Northern Sea Route. Rosatom. "Росатомфлот" начал процесс утилизации атомных ледоколов. Life, 19 December 2016. (1992–) (2007–) Taymyr class (1989–) (1990–) Project 22220 (2020–) (2021–) (2022–) (2024–) (2026– (planned); under construction) (2028– (planned); under construction) (2030– (planned); under construction) Project 10510 (2030– (planned); under construction)
Diesel-powered icebreakers
The following ships are/were fitted with diesel engines for powering their propulsion;
Severny Veter (1944–1951; ex-USCGC Staten Island; returned to the United States) Severniy Polyus (1945–1951; ex-USS Westwind; returned to the United States) Admiral Makarov (1945–1949; ex-USCGC Southwind; returned to the United States) Kapitan Belousov class (1954–1991; sold to Ukraine) (1955–1996; broken up) (1956–1994; broken up) Moskva class (1959–1998; broken up) (1960–1993; broken up) (1965–1993; broken up) (1968–1995; broken up) (1969–1997; broken up) Civilian variants of (Project 97A) (1961–1989; ex-Ledokol-1; broken up) (1962–1992; ex-Ledokol-2; passed over to Ukraine) (1962–1996; ex-Ledokol-3; broken up) (1963–1988; ex-Ledokol-4; broken up) (1963–1993; ex-Ledokol-5; broken up) (1964–; ex-Ledokol-6) (1964–1988; ex-Ledokol-7; broken up) (1965–1988; ex-Ledokol-8; broken up) (1965–2021; ex-Ledokol-9; to be broken up) (1970–2013; broken up) (1971–1997; broken up) (1971–) Ermak class (1974–2021; broken up) (1975–) (1976–) Kapitan M. Izmaylov class (1976–) (1976–) (1976–1992; transferred to Azerbaijan) Kapitan Sorokin class (1977–; fitted with Thyssen-Waas bow in 1991) (1978–; rebuilt in 1990) (1980–) (1981–) Kapitan Chechkin class (1977–) (1977–) (1978–) (1978–) (1978–) (1978–) Mudyug class (1982–; fitted with Thyssen-Waas bow in 1986) (1982–) (1983–) Kapitan Evdokimov class (1983–) (1983–) (1983–) (1983–) (1984–) (1984–) (1984–) (1986–) (2000–; purchased from Sweden) (2002–2020; ex-Karhu, ex-Kapitan Chubakov; purchased from Estonia; broken up) (2006–; ex-Apu; purchased from Finland) Project 21900 (2008–) (2009–) Project 21900M (2015–) (2015–)Vyborg Shipyard starts building hull of 21900M icebreaker "Novorossiysk" for Rosmorport (photo). PortNews, 8 May 2014. (2016–)FSUE Rosmorport takes delivery of Novorossiysk, icebreaker built by Vyborg Shipyard (photo). PortNews, 26 December 2016. (2019–) (2019–; ex-Antarcticaborg; purchased from Kazakhstan) (2020–) Project 21900M2 Unnamed Project 21900M2 icebreaker (construction stopped as of 2021) Unnamed Project 21900M2 icebreaker (2028– (current estimate); under construction) Project 23620 Unnamed Project 23620 icebreaker (2024– (original plan); ordered) Unnamed Project 23620 icebreaker (2024– (original plan); ordered) Project 22740M Unnamed Project 22740M icebreaker (under construction) Unnamed Project 22740M icebreaker (under construction)
Steam-powered icebreakers
The following icebreakers were powered by steam; (built in 1862; modified and operated as an icebreaker: 1864–1890; broken up?) (1890–1915; later converted to a gunboat)Портовые и многоцелевые ледоколы. Holmen VIII. Tugboatlars.se. (1895–1923; handed over to Latvia) (1895–1968; sunk)Ледокол "Саратов" планируют поднять со дна Волги в декабре. (1897–1924; later converted to a gunboat) (1899–1963; scrapped, despite efforts to preserve it as a museum pieceСначала срезали имя, потом сняли орден) (1898–1930; broken up) (1899–1923; broken up)Ledokol 3 1899. Tyne Built Ships. (1907–1942; sunk by Germans) (1909–1942; sunk by Germans) (1909–1918; sank in 1918) (1909–1950s?; broken up) (1910–1918, 1922–late 1950s; broken up) (1912–1940; sunk in 1940) Volynets (1914–1918, 1940–1985; ex-Tsar' Mikhail Fyodorovich, ex-Wäinämöinen, ex-Suur Tõll; sold to Estonia in 1987) (1914–1958; ex-CGC Earl Grey; broken up)
(1915–1967; ex-Beothic (1909–1915); broken up) (1915–1941; ex-Lintrose (1912–1915); sank in 1941) (1916–1918) (1916–1941; sank in 1941) (1916–1961; broken up) (1916–1954; broken up)Ledokol VII 1916. Tyne Built Ships. (1917–1961; broken up) (1917–1932; sank in White Sea)Ledokol IX 1917. Tyne Built Ships. (1917–1971; extensively rebuilt in 1953–1960, now a museum ship in St. Petersburg) (1917–1968; broken up) (1917–1941; sunk) (1929–1964) (1938–1973; ex-I. Stalin (−1961); broken up) (1938–1967; ex-L. Kaganovich (−1951); broken up) (1941–1967; ex-V. Molotov (−1956); broken up) (1941–1968; broken up) (1945–1970; ex-Voima; broken up) Sibiryakov (1945–1972; ex-Jääkarhu; broken up) Alyosha Popovich (1945–1970; ex-Eisvogel; decommissioned and abandoned off Russky Island) (1946–1979; ex-Eisbär; broken up in 1981)Илья Муромец (Eisbar). FESCO. Peresvet (1951–1980; ex-Castor; decommissioned and abandoned off Reyneke Island)
References
External links MAJOR ICEBREAKERS OF THE WORLD, a USCG table, year 2017 version. Lists 61 Russian ships, of which 11 were under construction and 4 planned