 The surviving transports of VA-18 convoy were left behind in Dikson, but the Navy could not afford to leave the icebreakers there for the whole Arctic winter because they were needed in western ports to assist the Atlantic convoys.Despite an increasing submarine presence, "Litke" and "Joseph Stalin" sailed west from Tiksi to Arkhangelsk with a minesweeper escort, codenamed Convoy AB-66.A deep sea route via Amderma and the Kara Strait was safe from bottom mines, but at least of the journey was packed with 'young' ice, slowing down the convoy and consuming fuel ("Litke" sailed with only 900 tonnes of coal and 290 tonnes of water).