Russian Nuclear Powered Ice Breaker Damaged After Collision with Cargo Vessel

The Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Years of Victory suffered a collision with a cargo ship in the Kara Sea, tearing a hole in its bow.

The incident occurred on January 26 at 3:51 a.m. but was confirmed by Rosatomflot, the state operator of Russia’s icebreaker fleet, only on January 28.

According to Rosatomflot, the icebreaker remains operational despite the damage. The company stated that the vessel’s seaworthiness is intact, its nuclear reactors were not affected, and there were no casualties. Rosatomflot has not provided details on what led to the navigation error.

Independent verification of the reactor’s condition is unavailable.

The icebreaker was reportedly assisting the cargo vessel Yamal Krechet through Arctic waters when the accident occurred. The cargo ship, traveling from Arkhangelsk to Sabetta, was carrying multiple containers, but the extent of its damage remains unknown.

Russia operates eight nuclear icebreakers to maintain Arctic shipping routes, a key component of its Northern Sea Route development strategy. The collision follows the recent sinking of the Ursa Major, which delayed a replacement icebreaker.

The 50 Years of Victory, the latest of the older Arktika-class icebreakers, was built between 1989 and 2007 and is based in Murmansk. It can operate independently for months in Arctic conditions.

“On the night of January 26, while operating in the harsh Arctic conditions of the Kara Sea, the nuclear icebreaker 50 Years of Victory sustained damage to the plating on its port side during a breakaway maneuver. No injuries were reported, and the vessel's seaworthiness remains intact. There is no threat to life support systems or the reactor plant. The icebreaker continues to operate normally in the waters of the Northern Sea Route,” Rosatom said in an official statement to Defense Mirror.