We boarded a Russian icebreaker and headed to the North Pole - TwinCities.com

The icebreaker created fissures a half-mile wide, and the sometimes-10-foot-thick ice chunks that broke off from the bow were thrust into the air up to 20 feet high.

1. I think it's interesting that there's no mention of climate or warming in this article.

2. If the Arctic ice is really so fragile and important, why is it still legal to smash through it in icebreakers?  Couldn't this make the ice at least somewhat more vulnerable to Arctic winds?