In order to open navigation and provide navigation safety at the Saimaa canal on April 7, 2013 the Kapitan Izmaylov icebreaker of the North-Western Basin Branch has cleared the Saimaa Canal fairway from the Mariankivi sign to the Brusnichnoye gate with the length of 14.4 km breaking open the ice with the thickness of up to 80 centimeters.

As a result of those works the Commissioner of the Russian Federation for the Saimaa Canal confirmed opening of navigation at the Saimaa Canal from 07:00 MSK (GMT+4) April 10, 2013 in the letter dated from 8.04.2013 №9-1242 adressed to the Commissioner of Finland for the Saimaa Canal.