Anyone who feels like it can vote in favor of their favorite names for the two research vessels to be built at Zvezda SSK. Universities and Research Institutes provided the list of variants.

Research vessels are constructed within the framework of the "Science and Universities" national project. Zvezda shipyard was appointed by the Resolution of the Russian Federation Government as the only executor of the order. CDB “Lazurit” developed the Project of Research Vessels.

The purpose of the new vessels is to carry out scientific research and fundamental and applied work in the waters of the World Ocean, including hydrometeorological survey, measurement of magnetical, gravity, electric and thermal fields, realization  biological and environmental researches, high-resolution geological and hydrographical bottom survey, lab sampling and analysis of geologic and bottom  materials with the use of ocean engineering,  ecological monitoring of the environment. A wide range of measurements will be carried out using the up-to-date onboard and towed facilities; the Research Vessel laboratories will be able to process the obtained data in real time.

The ARC4 ice class of the vessels allows them to independently overcome first-year ice with a thickness of up to 0.6 meters in winter-spring navigation and up to 0.8 meters in summer-autumn one. The length of the vessel will be 122, 5 meters, deadweight – 8130 ton. The endurance of such vessels is 50 days / 7,500 nautical miles. Helicopters pads are provided on the vessels.

The names for Research Vessels can be chosen during the generally available on-line voting on the website of Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. The list of famous sea explorers, who had played  important role in the development of Russian and World science, is formed out of universities and research institutes proposals, taking part in field researches on the Research vessel:

-Lisitsyn Aleksandr Petrovich (1923-2020)

-Shuleikin Vasilii Vladimirovich (1895-1979)

-Monin Andrei Sergeevich (1921-2007)

-Shirshov Pyotr Petrovich (1905-1953)

-Dobrovolskii Aleksei Dmitrievich (1907-1990)

-Ilichyov Viktor Ivanovich (1932-1994)

-Brekhovskikh Leonid Maksimovich (1917-2005)