The decision to start building the first nuclear icebreaker of the Leader-class will be taken very soon, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday.

"As part of rebuilding our icebreaker fleet, we will launch an ambitious Leader-class nuclear icebreaker project. The decision on these icebreakers is being finalized and will be taken soon," Rogozin said at a board meeting of the Industry and Trade Ministry.

The Project 10510 Leader-class icebreakers will be the world's most powerful vessels with 120 MW reactors. Project 10510 has been designed by the St. Petersburg-based Central Design Bureau USC-Iceberg. Dmitry Rogozin reported in late 2017 that the basic design for this class of icebreakers had been completed.

He said the three vessels could be built by 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively.

According to plans, Russia will need three such icebreakers for year-round Arctic development. The ongoing discussions concern the place and the timeframe for building the first Leader-class icebreaker.

Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said in December 2017 said the ministry supported the idea of building a series of such icebreakers. He added that the ministry and the Rosatom state corporation were looking for extra-budgetary funding to build a series of icebreakers, because there is little point in building only one such vessel. Manturov said banks and other extra-budgetary sources could co-finance the Lider project.