Russia is planning extensive research to support its claim to a broad swath of energy-rich territory beneath the Arctic Sea, a senior official of the country’s icebreaker fleet said Friday.

Icebreakers will lead research vessels into the Arctic in a series of missions over the next three years to conduct a detailed geological analysis of the seabed, said Andrei Smirnov, deputy director for operations at Atomflot.

Smirnov said researchers are planning an Arctic mission that will depart in June. It will include an atomic icebreaker and a research ship.

(AP)