Building the Arktika lead nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220 began in 2012 at the Baltiysky Zavod (Baltic Shipyard) and the ship was laid down on November 5, 2013. It was floated off on June 16, 2016. The flag raising and handing over to operations to FSUE Atomflot took place on October 21, 2020, with the participation of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
The first series-produced icebreaker Sibir was laid down on May 26, 2015. It was floated off on September 22, 2017. On January 25, 2022, the first series-produced nuclear-powered icebreaker Sibir of Project 22220 officially joined FSUE Atomflot. The ceremony of raising the Russian National Flag took place in the home port of Murmansk.
The icebreakers parameters are as follows: length - 172.7 m (160.0 m waterline beam); breadth - 34.0 m (33.0 m waterline beam); height - 15.2 m (sides at midship), 54.0 m (maximum); engines - 2 nuclear reactors RITM-200 of 175 MW each. They are designed to break through 2.8 m thick flat ice at the speed of 1.5-2 knots (3.0 m max). They are biaxial icebreakers that are capable of breaking through thick ocean ice with a deep draft, and with a shallow draft, they can work in riverbeds.
The postage stamps provide images of nuclear-powered icebreakers Arktika and Sibir against ice scenery and symbols of an atom.
In addition to the issue of the postage stamps, JSC Marka produced First Day Covers and special cancels for Moscow, St. Petersburg and Murmansk, as well as maxi-cards and an illustrated envelope with postage stamps, a label and a First Day Cover with a cancel for Murmansk inside.
Design Artist: M. Bodrova.
Face value: 18 rubles.
Stamp size: 50×37 mm, sheet size: 124×212 mm.
Emission form: sheets with formatted margins (2×4) with 8 stamps and a coupon.
Quantity: 120 thousand stamps (15 thousand sheets).
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