The technical design for Russia's unique new flagship nuclear-powered icebreaker will be ready by the end of 2018, said Stanislav Golovinsky, Deputy General Director for Development at Atomflot (Rosatomflot) federal state unitary enterprise, RIA News reported. Atomflot is a subsidiary of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation.

Addressing the Arctic-2017 conference on Thursday, Mr Golovinsky said that design work continues for the icebreaker that will give Russia economic advantages in the Arctic. The ship will be able to cut a path for vessels with a freight capacity of up to 200,000 tons. During the ice-melting season, the route will take no more than eight days.

According to Mr Golovinsky, the technical design "will be ready by the end of next year."

The project's estimated cost is 1.3 billion rubles, with 780 million rubles set aside for the project in the 2017 federal budget. Next year, at the request of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the remaining funds will be allocated in full, the official said.