Article

Russia's strategy to boost Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports faces significant challenges due to limitations in icebreaker availability and operational delays. Despite plans to triple LNG production by 2030, the deployment of all nuclear icebreakers during the winter of 2025-2026 led to disruptions, including a temporary halt of the Arctic LNG 2 project. With only about ten of the required 15-17 icebreakers available, concerns grow over the reliability of the Northern Sea Route amid increasing demand and sanctions.