Polar exit: icebreaker Ivan Papanin set off on its first Arctic voyage
The ice-class patrol ship Ivan Papanin, as part of a detachment of the Northern Fleet, set off on its first long-range Arctic voyage. It is capable of operating independently in the ice and escorting other vessels, which expands the Navy's capabilities in high latitudes. The strengthening of the Russian presence in the region is especially important against the background of the growing military activity of NATO in the Arctic, experts interviewed by Izvestia note.
Preparation and tasks of the grouping
The group, which set off on an Arctic campaign, included the lead ice-class patrol ship Ivan Papanin, the large amphibious assault ship Kondopoga, the Pamir rescue tug and the tanker Sergei Osipov.
"Various measures will be worked out in the Arctic, including ensuring the safety of Russian maritime navigation along the Northern Sea Route," said Captain 2nd Rank Alexander Zinoviev, chief of the marching staff.
The first combat icebreaker "Ivan Papanin"
The program of maneuvers is designed for several months. In addition to patrolling, the crews will test ship systems and weapons in critically low temperatures.
Ready for service
The first long-range cruise of the Ivan Papanin marks the beginning of full-fledged operation of the ship as part of the Russian Navy. Previously, the functions of escorting and patrolling in the polar latitudes were performed by large anti-submarine ships (BOD).
Currently, BOD is involved in other strategic areas — in particular, they accompany Russian vessels during crossings from the Baltic to the Mediterranean, military expert Dmitry Boltenkov explained to Izvestia.
— "Ivan Papanin" was designed specifically for the stringent requirements of the Arctic Ocean. Its reinforced design makes it possible to operate independently in the ice and escort detachments of ships without using vessels of the civilian nuclear icebreaking fleet," he stressed.
The Ivan Papanin (Project 23550 Arctic) is the lead ice—class patrol vessel with a displacement of about 9,000 tons. It can act as an independent combat unit, icebreaker or tugboat. Its hull allows you to pass solid ice up to 1.7 m thick. The cruising range is 10,000 miles, and the autonomy is 60 days. Raptor speedboats and hovercraft are on board to land groups on the unequipped coast.
The presence of a large amphibious ship in the detachment may be due to the need to practice landing and defense of island territories.
"In the current situation, attempts at hybrid attacks or infiltration by sabotage groups cannot be ruled out, so the ability to quickly transfer units by sea remains an important factor in protecting the region," Dmitry Boltenkov explained.
In terms of their characteristics and functionality, Canadian patrol ships of the Harry DeWolf type are closest to the Ivan Papanin, the expert noted. At the same time, the Canadian series is inferior to the Russian ship in terms of displacement, autonomy and functionality, although it can also carry helicopter technology. Approaches to ensuring security in the Arctic also differ: in the West, such tasks are largely assigned to the coast Guard structures, whereas in Russia they are solved jointly by the Navy and the FSB Border Guard Service, Dmitry Boltenkov added.
New players
The first long-range cruise of the Ivan Papanin is taking place against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Arctic. On August 31, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that the North Atlantic Alliance openly seeks to make the polar territories another zone of military escalation.
NATO exercises in the Arctic
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed to the buildup of Western forces near Russia's borders, the holding of exercises involving non-regional participants and the deployment of new NATO command structures. According to him, such activity increases the risk of incidents with serious consequences. At the same time, the United States and its allies are trying to hinder the implementation of Moscow's international Arctic projects by exerting sanctions pressure on its partners from the countries of the Global South.
For Russia, the Northern Sea Route is the main national artery in the Arctic, which has international economic significance, military expert Vadim Kozyulin recalled.
— In the Arctic, the bloc has begun to build and equip new military infrastructure, create headquarters and constantly conduct maneuvers. Against this background, we are witnessing the intensification of the alliance's forces, especially near the Kola Peninsula, where the key nuclear potential of the Russian Federation is located. Of course, we must respond to these steps, and first of all, by increasing the combat capability of our forces in the region," he said.
Finland and Sweden's accession to NATO certainly strengthens the alliance's potential in the region, said military expert Vasily Dandykin. Although geographically they do not have direct access to the Arctic coast, this has seriously increased the military resources of the hostile bloc. NATO has bases in Lapland, troops prepared for northern conditions, a powerful Swedish military-industrial complex and a fleet at its disposal.
Combined with the infrastructure of Norway, the main training center for U.S. and British paratroopers, tensions in this area will only increase.
— Western countries are very interested in our resources in the Arctic, and the Northern Sea Route is a key transport artery, the importance of which is growing against the background of instability of the southern routes. Many of them, and primarily the United States, are trying to promote the thesis of the "internationalization" of the Arctic, but for Russia it is a sovereign sector and a strategic area of responsibility, - Vasily Dandykin specified.
Retaliatory measures
NATO is not ready for a direct clash, especially in the Arctic, right now: American resources are being diverted to the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region, and the combat readiness of European armies operating in northern latitudes raises many questions, experts say. Nevertheless, Western countries continue to modernize their anti-submarine frontiers, conduct reconnaissance, and try to build up their icebreaking forces.
DBK Bastion launcher
Russia responds to these actions in a comprehensive manner. To cover the NSR route from the Barents Sea to the Bering Strait, a deeply layered military infrastructure has been created: surface and underwater forces, naval aviation, island garrisons with Bastion and Bal anti—ship coastal missile systems, as well as air defense systems are ready to operate here.
Under the circumstances, Russia is forced to react and demonstrate its readiness to defend its national interests. Sending a detachment of the Northern Fleet, led by the newest ship, is not least a clear signal to geopolitical opponents that Russia has the strength to protect its interests in the region.
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