MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. The cost of a project to build the world’s biggest Lider (Leader) nuclear icebreaker is 1.3 billion rubles (about $22.7 million), head of Moscow’s representation of the state-run Atomflot (operating Russia’s civilian nuclear-powered vessels) Stanislav Golovinsky told TASS on Thursday.

"The icebreaker’s project is 1.3 billion rubles, while the budget has allocated (in 2017 - TASS) 780 million rubles (about $13.6 million)," he said, adding the remaining money is due next year (2018).

"All major technical features will be ready, but construction of a nuclear vessel requires security estimations, which would be due slightly later," he explained.

TASS reported earlier that projection works on the Lider new-general nuclear icebreaker would take 1.5 years. The engine’s effect would be about 110MW, and it will be working along the Northern Sea Route the year round.