Throughout many decades Russia has undoubtedly been a leader in exploring the Arctic, said the President during his meeting with students of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

“We will develop it [the Arctic] anyway. Seventy percent of the Russian Federation’s territory is in northern latitudes. It is an extremely important thing. The development of the Northern Sea Route is very important for us, for international trade and for logistics. This is why any research in this area is highly demanded,” said Vladimir Putin.

The President also reminded the audience that Russia has the most powerful icebreaking fleet.

“We, you probably know it very well, have 34 diesel-powered icebreakers, eight operational nuclear icebreakers, two – Chukotka and Leningrad – are being actively built, Stalingrad has been laid down, two more are in the blueprint stage, and the Leader, a 150-megawatt nuclear icebreaker, is being built at the Zvezda shipyard in the Far East. There has never been such an icebreaker in the world. The building is proceeding well, according to schedule. I am sure that we will get this icebreaker by 2030. It cuts through ice without limitation for several meters. This is a power that no other country in the world possess today, still we, of course, are stepping up this work,” the President said.