Russia Starts Testing World’s Largest Nuclear Icebreaker
Russia has started tests of the world’s largest nuclear icebreaker — the “50 Years of Victory”, the Rosbalt news agency reports. The tests are being conducted in port, without an open-sea voyage.

The agency said that all the major work on the icebreaker, including the mounting of the nuclear reactor and steam generator, have been completed. Specialists are ready to load the nuclear fuel in January 2006. After this, open-sea tests will take place and the ship will be transferred to the customer.

The icebreaker, initially named the Ural, is a modernized second series Arktika class icebreaker.

The ship is 159 meters long, 30 meters wide and has a displacement tonnage of 25,000 tons. Work on the vessel was suspended in 1993 due to a lack of funding, but was resumed and completed years later.