Russia launched a nuclear-powered icebreaker Saturday, part of an ambitious program to renew and expand its fleet of the vessels in order to improve its ability to tap the Arctic’s commercial potential.

The ship is one of a trio that when completed will be the largest and most powerful icebreakers in the world
It is part of a push to strengthen Moscow’s hand in the High North as it vies for dominance with Canada, the US, Norway and China

The ship, dubbed the Ural and which was floated out from a dockyard in St Petersburg, is one of a trio that when completed will be the largest and most powerful icebreakers in the world.
Russia is building new infrastructure and overhauling its ports as, amid warmer climate cycles, it readies for more traffic via what it calls the Northern Sea Route (NSR) which it envisages being navigable year-round.