Russian Defense Ministry orders two ice-resistant patrol ships
© Ria Novosti. Alexey Filippov

Russian Defense Ministry orders two ice-resistant patrol ships

The Russian Defense Ministry has ordered two Project 23550 ice-class patrol ships at the Admiralty Shipyard in St. Petersburg, TASS news agency reports.

"Under the contract, the Navy is to receive these ships by late 2020," a ministry spokesperson said and added that the contract had been signed in line with the state rearmament program up to 2020.

Defense Ministry sources stressed that Project 23550 vessels would act as tugs, icebreakers and patrol ships. They can plow through 1.5-meter-thick ice, press service officials said.

In early January, Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov, Deputy Commander of the Russian Navy, said there were plans to lay the keel of the first new-generation patrol ship in the series in 2016.