MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. European icebreakers are not suited for tasks in the climatic conditions of the Arctic, military expert Alexander Stepanov told TASS.

The day before, the NDR TV and radio company reported that the German icebreaker Neuwerk had broken down in the Baltic Sea and was forced to return to port.

"When analyzing the full potential of the fleet that is used for work, including in the Arctic, and is available to the EU countries, it can be unequivocally stated that it is technologically unsuitable for navigational tasks in the harsh climatic conditions of the Arctic," Stepanov said.

He explained that icebreakers equipped with diesel power plants have serious limitations. In addition, the increased thickness of the ice due to low temperatures blocks navigation.

According to the expert, this incident indicates that Europe needs to rethink its approach to Arctic navigation completely. First and foremost, this involves creating nuclear icebreakers with compact nuclear reactors. "Russia is currently the only owner of such technology in the region," Stepanov added.

He pointed out that, in the past, when approaches were sound and relations were stable, Russia regularly got involved in such incidents, providing assistance to its partners. However, due to "suicidal sanctions and the total blocking of any cooperation," the EU is beginning to experience negative consequences.