19:30 12-09-2025

The National Interest: Russian Icebreaker Ivan Papanin Doubles as Warship

Alekc2m, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The National Interest notes that Russia’s icebreaker Ivan Papanin, part of Project 23550, combines patrol, tug, and combat functions, while U.S. cutters lag in development.

The American magazine The National Interest highlighted the Russian icebreaker Ivan Papanin, noting that the vessel is not limited to civilian missions but can also perform military roles.

According to the publication, the ship is capable of more than just breaking ice. Like a patrol vessel, it is armed to engage hostile forces. While its arsenal is less powerful than that of a standard cruiser, this is explained by its versatility.

The article reminded readers that Project 23550 patrol icebreakers combine the functions of an Arctic patrol ship, a tug, and an icebreaker. This multifunctionality, the authors stressed, enables them to safeguard Russia’s interests in the Arctic.

By contrast, the U. S. Coast Guard’s Polar Security Cutter program remains in development, with the first vessels not expected to enter service until the end of the decade.

Previously, The National Interest also reported that NATO countries are concerned about Russia’s ability to sink American aircraft carriers. The magazine pointed to recent alliance exercises in the North Sea, which it said showed the threat to the U.S. was greater than Pentagon officials have acknowledged.