Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin reported to President Putin on the construction of the new nuclear-powered icebreakers, Arktika-Info news agency reports.

"Currently, we have five nuclear-powered icebreakers operating along the Northern Sea Route, but they are coming to the end of their service life. After 2021, only one of these icebreakers can remain in service, The 50 Let Pobedy, whereas the others will have to be decommissioned in 2017 and 2018," Mr. Rogozin said at the President's meeting with the Government.

"Therefore, the Baltic Shipyard has started working with Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation to build a new icebreaker fleet by that time," he explained.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the flagship icebreaker, The Arktika, will be commissioned by 2017; it is 18 percent ready as of today. The first serial icebreaker, The Sibir, will be launched in 2019, while the second serial icebreaker, The Ural, is to be ready by 2020.

"In the coming year and a half, a decision should be made with regard to the further decommissioning of the old icebreaker fleet, on additional construction of the third and fourth serial icebreakers. But we are going to discuss it separately, taking into account the growing cargo volumes moving through  the Northern Sea Route and our plans on developing shelf deposits in the Arctic,"  Mr. Rogozin added.

The only risk the nuclear icebreaker fleet faces is an interruption in funding. "There's only one risk — the funding should be steady. If any problems arise, I will report to you personally in the next reporting period," Mr. Rogozin told the President.