Rosatomflot Director Vyacheslav Ruksha with one of the nuclear powered icebreakers in the floating dock in the background. Photo: Thomas Nilsen

Vyacheslav Ruksha awarded honorary citizen of Murmansk

Murmansk celebrates 100th anniversary and awards the General Director of Russia’s nuclear icebreaker fleet with the city’s highest award.
October 05, 2016

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Vyacheslav Ruksha is well known both in Russia and internationally for his dedicated work on developing and maintaining the world’s only fleet of civilian nuclear powered vessels. 

«Murmansk has opened my way to the Arctic. I am grateful to the citizens for appreciating my work,» Ruksha said when receiving the Honorary Citizen award from city mayor Alexey Weller on Tuesday. 

Vyacheslav Ruksha started to work on nuclear powered icebreakers back in 1976 when only «Lenin» and «Arktika» were in operation. A year later, «Arktika» became the first surface vessel to reach the North Pole. A total of nine icebreakers and one container vessel powered by nuclear reactors are built till today, of which five are still in operation. Three vessels of the new generation are currently under construction.

With exception of some few years as First Deputy Transport Minister in Moscow, Ruksha has worked with the icebreaker fleet for 40 years. In 2010, he became deputy in Murmansk regional parliament representing United Russia.

In neighboring Nordic countries, the General Director is known for his openness on nuclear safety issues, like storage and handling of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel from the operation of the icebreaker fleet. 

Since 1974, 72 people have received the award «Honorary Citizen of the Hero City Murmansk.»

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