Image Credits: Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations A fire broke out on Russia’s diesel-electric icebreaker Admiral Makarov while it was undergoing repairs at the Kronstadt Marine Plant near St. Petersburg. The fire started on September 5 in the steering-gear compartment at the stern of the ship, Russian Telegram channel 112 reported. The fire covered an area of about 80 square metres. Russian emergency services sent 52 personnel and 10 pieces of equipment to fight the fire. Firefighters brought it under control and put out the flames within about two hours. No one was injured. The cause of the fire and the damage caused to the icebreaker have not been disclosed. Admiral Makarov has been under repair since spring 2025. Work is being carried out on its hull, propellers and three propeller shafts. Its main engines are also being repaired, with the work expected to continue until the end of 2026. After the repairs, the icebreaker was expected to escort ships to Russian ports in the eastern Gulf of Finland during the winter navigation season. Admiral Makarov Icebreaker The Admiral Makarov, a Project R-1039 diesel-electric icebreaker, was built by Wärtsilä in Helsinki, Finland, in 1975 for the Soviet Union. It is one of three Yermak-class icebreakers built in Finland. The other two are Yermak, built in 1974, and Krasin, built in 1976. The vessel is named after Vice-Admiral Stepan Makarov, an oceanographer and polar explorer. Admiral Makarov has a displacement of about 20,247 tonnes and is 134.84 metres long. It is 26.05 metres wide and has a draft of up to 11 metres. The Russian Project R-1039 icebreaker Admiral Makarov suddenly caught fire earlier today while it was undergoing repairs at the Kronstadt Marine Plant in St. Petersburg. This key Russian vessel was in the yards to repair extensive damage caused by its last shipyard fire in 2024. pic.twitter.com/H3v79ou3KQ — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) September 5, 2026 Its engines produce about 30.5 megawatts