[8] In order to protect the main engines from large torque variations during icebreaking operations and to prevent the propellers from stopping when the blades come in contact with ice, each shaft has a 11.5-tonne (11.3-long-ton; 12.7-short-ton) flywheel to increase rotational inertia of the drivetrain.

In the new icebreakers, this fairly expensive specialized drivetrain would be replaced with cheaper and more efficient mechanical transmission where the main diesel engines would be connected to controllable pitch propellers through a reduction gearbox.

An extensive research program was initiated by Wärtsilä Arctic Design and Marketing (WADAM) to ensure that the new concept was viable and that the problems encountered the recently commissioned United States Coast Guard Polar-class icebreakers would be avoided.

[9][13] In April 1980, Wärtsilä and the Soviet Union signed a FIM 400 million shipbuilding contract for the construction of three icebreakers to escort ships in the freezing subarctic ports.

[18] The convoy left Murmansk on 23 August and sailed 2,640 nautical miles (4,890 km; 3,040 mi) along the Northern Sea Route until arriving to its destination on 10 September ahead of schedule.

[19] In 2022, Dikson joined the Arktika, Polar King, Inzhenier Trubin, Sevmorput, and Kapitan Dranitsyn to deliver a copper mining project's construction materials in the town of Pevek.