Fears of 'Chernobyl on ice' as Russia prepares floating nuclear plant

Scepticism and safety concerns persist before vessel begins 4,000-mile Arctic journey

"I feel like I'm one of the first cosmonauts going into space," said Vladimir Irminku, one of the chief engineers of the Akademik Lomonosov, as he stood on the deck of the giant, box-like platform on a chilly summer morning at Kola Bay in the Barents Sea.

Russia is planning to dispatch the vessel, its first floating nuclear power station, on a 4,000-mile journey along the Northern Sea Route, in a milestone for the country's growing use of nuclear power in its plans for Arctic expansion.