She is the first ship ever built with an asymmetric hull that allows her to operate not only ahead and astern, but also obliquely (sideways) with a large angle of attack.

The vessel was initially scheduled for delivery to FGI Gosmorspassluzhba, the Russian Marine Emergency Rescue Service, in early 2014.

[7] The development of the oblique icebreaker concept dates back to 1997, when the engineers at Kværner Masa-Yards Arctic Technology Centre (MARC) came up with a new way of assisting large tankers in ice-infested waters.

[10] The development of the oblique icebreaker as continued by MARC and its successor, Aker Arctic, together with ABB and the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes).

[4] About two weeks after entering service, Baltika departed from St. Petersburg on 6 March 2015 for Murmansk, from where she headed for full-scale ice trials in the Gulf of Ob.

In addition, she can be utilized for towing of vessels and floating facilities in an emergency, extinguish external fires and perform various salvage and rescue operations.

The vessel has three Wärtsilä 9L26 main generators, each producing 3,000 kW (4,000 hp) and capable of running on low sulphur fuel oil.

In open water, the service speed of the vessel is 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) and operational range 4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi).