Russia’s First Arctic Nuclear Icebreaker "Lenin" Celebrates its 60th Anniversary

60 years ago, the world's first nuclear icebreaker, Lenin, was launched. This was a great achievement of the national nuclear industry.

60 years ago, the world's first nuclear icebreaker, Lenin, was launched. This was a great achievement of the national nuclear industry. The icebreaker operated for 30 years and drove about 4,000 vessels through the Arctic ice.

Igor Ageyenko reports from the legendary vessel.

A naval officer: "We hear the call-signs. Attention, the radio station is working from the world's first nuclear icebreaker, Lenin".

 

The miracle of engineering that came through in the mid-20th century, the world's first nuclear icebreaker named after the international proletariat leader, came down from the building berth 60 years ago.

Radio reporting: "The nuclear icebreaker, Lenin, has launched".

Surprisingly, this giant was built in just three years. This term is unrealistic even by modern standards. Inside, everything is made of cedar and Korean walnut, and guest cabins are almost like on cruise liners. Yuri Gagarin, King of Norway, and even Fidel Castro were among the visitors of the icebreaker. The ship could surprise anyone.

Valentin Davidyants, Icebreaker Lenin Captain: "A sports hall, music room, it even had its own ensemble. It had a wonderful, simply beautiful library, which anyone would envy".

But the main component was hidden from prying eyes. A unique installation of three nuclear reactors provided the ship with energy for several years. Lenin was not only the USSR’s first icebreaker, but also a very important experiment. It was on it that tests for new projects were held. For example, a complete replacement of nuclear facilities without changing the vessel’s design.

Vladimir Blinov, Exhibition Center Specialist: "We decided to do it in a revolutionary way and introduce into the operation of the nuclear installation system of the Lenin icebreaker an installation designed for a second generation icebreaker".

Now, the Lenin icebreaker is the only object of cultural heritage or federal significance in Murmansk and it fully lives up to its status. During the holidays, droves of those who want to look at the Soviet engineering miracle gather here.

You forget that you are on board a ship, which is more than 60 years old, as soon as you enter the modern multimedia center of the Lenin icebreaker built on the site of the former cabins for the crew members. Here, you can watch the history of its creation in two languages.

Both historians and engineers agree on one thing: six decades ago, this was a revolutionary step that gave us the right to be called an Arctic power, because until now, no country had developed a nuclear icebreaker fleet, except Russia.

Igor Ageyenko, Dmitry Ivannikov, and Pavel Kavliga, Vesti from Murmansk.