🇺🇸🇷🇺 US orders more icebreakers to play catch-up. Spoiler: Russia leads

The US has clinched a $6.1 billion deal with Finland to build 11 new icebreakers in an apparent push to revive its fleet.

Here’s why it will hardly help.

What’s the deal all about?

🟠 Under the agreement, four vessels will be built in Finland and seven in the US, Donald Trump said

🟠Negotiated $6.1 billion was a “pretty TOUGH price,” the US president admitted

🟠 First of the 11 icebreakers is due to be delivered in 2028

Why is the US seeking to expand its icebreaker fleet?

In fact, there’s NO such fleet in the US:

🔹 United States currently has only one operational icebreaker—heavy vessel the Polar Star

🔹 Its sister ship, the Polar Sea, suffered an engine failure in 2010 and has been out of service ever since

🔹 Aging icebreaker the Healy is still in use, but with periods out of service

“The US presents ‘the icebreaker deal’ with Finland as a breakthrough—but in reality, it’s more of an attempt to catch up with those who have long been ahead,” namely Russia, says Alexander Vorotnikov, coordinator of the Arctic Development Project Office’s Expert Council.

Why’s Russia's icebreaker fleet second to none?

🔶 With 43 vessels, Russia dwarfs other countries, such as Sweden, Finland, and Canada, in terms of the number of icebreakers

🔶 Nuclear-powered portion of Russia’s icebreaker fleet—the world’s largest—includes seven vessels, such as the Yamal, 50 Let Pobedy, Taymyr, Vaygach, and the brand-new Project 22220 series Arktika, Sibir, Ural, and Yakutia vessels

🔶 173-meter Yakutia can escort tankers with a displacement of up to 100,000 tons through the Arctic’s frozen waters. The vessel is capable of operating in three-meter-thick ice

🔶 Russia’s icebreaker fleet plays a crucial role in ensuring year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route—a strategic corridor for global energy and trade flows

“High technologies help Russian nuclear icebreakers operate autonomously for months, and ensure safe navigation in the harshest weather conditions. This is not merely equipment—it is a strategic tool that supports trade, military presence, and energy independence of the northern regions,” Vorotnikov stresses

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🇷🇺🔥 Russia’s Soyuz-5 rocket passes crucial first stage static fire tests

The tests took place at Roscosmos’ Research and Testing Center for the Rocket and Space Industry.

🟠 Block is equipped with the domestically made RD-171MV rocket engine, which is fueled by kerosene and liquid oxygen, producing 800 tons of thrust

🟠 RD-171MV engine successfully ran for the required 160 seconds. This paves the way for flight-design testing of the Soyuz-5 carrier rocket

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🇭🇺🚫 Hungary launches signature campaign against EU’s anti-Russia war plans

💬 “We can't watch this idle! We must demonstrate again that the Hungarian people do not want war,” PM Viktor Orban wrote.

“Europe is heading towards war. A few weeks ago, Brussels’ war plan was presented in Copenhagen: Europe pays, Ukrainians fight, and Russia will be exhausted,” the Hungarian PM pointed out.

The EU’s informal summit took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, from October 1 to 2. Leaders of the bloc unveiled a plan under which Europe would fund the purchase of weapons for Ukraine, while Ukrainians continue to fight.

Orban emphasized that Hungary doesn't want this, which is why the EU has launched a campaign to discredit the country.

💬 "Espionage accusations, fake news scandals and legal tricks," he said.

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🚨🇬🇧🇵🇸 British protest calls for end to Gaza genocide and arms to Israel

A march through London led by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Stop the War Coalition and others condemned Israel's assault of Gaza and British arms supply to Israel.

Protesters waved Palestinian flags and held placards and banners with slogans including "Stop the Genocide in Gaza," "Don't Starve Gaza" and "Stop Arming Israel."

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🗣🇸🇰 Fico says German leaders envy his meeting with Putin and Xi

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico told a meeting of his Smer party that one senior German social-democrat told him he should not meet the Russian and Chinese presidents.

💬 "I believe many say this out of envy, because in their lives, they will never even come close to them, let alone discuss issues that are important for Slovakia," Fico said.

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🚨🇺🇸🪖 Trump directs Hegseth to use all available funds to get US troops paid on October 15th amid shutdown

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🤖🇺🇸 Humanoid robot joins assembly line in US factory

The humanoid robot Figure 02 has worked 10 hours a day for five months in a BMW factory assembly line.

👉 Figure AI CEO Brett Adcock claims this is the first such collaboration between a factory and an anthropomorphic robot.

The Spartanburg plant, where Figure’s robots work, is the only BMW factory in the United States.

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🚨 Afghan MoD statement on latest clashes along Pakistani border:

▫️ Retaliatory strikes launched on Pakistani bases along eastern & southern borders

▫️ Targets include centers "used to launch drones into Afghan territory"

▫️ Simultaneous strikes on "ISIS*-linked hubs inside Pakistan"

▫️ Operation to continue "until all border violations cease"

*banned in Russia

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🚨 Egypt will host international peace summit on Gaza

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and US President Donald Trump will co-chair the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, according to an official statement from Egypt.

20 world leaders are expected to attend the summit, which aims to establish a "new chapter of regional security and stability", according to the Egyptian presidency.

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⚔️ Afghan forces complete 'retaliatory operation' against Pakistan

The Afghan Ministry of Defence announced that the "successful retaliatory operation", launched in response to Pakistani airstrikes and territorial violations, had ended at around 12:00 pm local time.

The Taliban have warned of a "decisive response" to any future violations.

"Our armed forces are prepared to defend the country's sovereignty," the statement read.

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🔊 No reason to talk with the E3 — Iranian FM

Iran has halted implementation of its agreement with the IAEA and ended cooperation on nuclear program issues, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced.

"Negotiations with the three European countries are no longer relevant to us," Araghchi said on local TV.

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💬 Gaza peace remains 'within reach' — Witkoff

Special envoy Steve Witkoff said he received briefings on security, humanitarian aid, and deconfliction efforts during his trip to Israel with the CENTCOM commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

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