She is served by a crew of 32 but can carry up to 50 marines in full combat gear. "Ilya Muromets" is fitted for but not with various weapon systems in service in the Russian Navy. She can reportedly be equipped with several types of cannons, including the six-barreled 30 mm AK-630, and also carry the containerized Club-K cruise missiles in her cargo hold. Like most icebreakers today, "Ilya Muromets" has an integrated diesel-electric propulsion system where the main generators provide electricity for both propulsion and auxiliary systems. The vessel's power plant consists of four 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 6L32 medium-speed diesel generating sets. "Ilya Muromets" is one of the few ice-going vessels propelled by contra-rotating propellers: the vessel has two electrically-driven Steerprop SP120CRP ECO azimuthing Z-drive propulsion units with five blades on the pulling and four blades on the pushing propeller. This configuration provides higher propulsion efficiency at a cost of added mechanical complexity. In addition, the vessel has a bow thruster for maneuvering. "Ilya Muromets" is classified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. Her ice class, "Icebreaker6", requires the vessel to be capable of operating in level ice with a thickness of in a continuous motion and her hull strengthened for navigation in non-Arctic waters where ice can be up to thick.