Murmansk Preparing To Celebrate Birth Anniversary Of Russia's Civil Nuclear-Powered Fleet

On December 3, Murmansk will for the first time celebrate a birth anniversary of Russia's civil nuclear-powered fleet. The decision was made by the Board of the Murmansk Shipping Company, which runs Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers, the company's spokesperson said. The celebrations are planned as an annual event. On December 3, 1959, the Soviet Union commissioned the world's first nuclear icebreaker, the Lenin. Before 1991, the U.S.S.R. built another seven nuclear icebreakers and one nuclear lighter carrier, the Sevmorput. Two of the eight icebreakers, the Lenin and the Sibir, have already been decommissioned. According to the spokesperson, the celebrations will involve people servicing the world's only nuclear ice-breaking fleet.