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Russian President Vladimir Putin took part online in a ceremony of laying down the keel of the nuclear-powered ice-breaker Stalingrad on November 18.

He said that the naming of the ice-breaker as Stalingrad is an expression of the reverence for the indomitable bravery of the defenders of Stalingrad and its citizens and the valour and boldness of the fighters of the great battle.

He stressed that it is important to strengthen Russia’s position in the Arctic by developing a prospective Arctic transport route connecting St Petersburg and Vladivostok.

Saying that the development of port infrastructure and vessels in the Arctic is directly related to the improvement of the living standards of the residents, he stated that all these tasks will be the major priority of the state for years in the future.