Complex sentence: These were the "Pravda", the "Volodarskiy" and the "Tovarich Stalin" appeared dead ahead, but between Litke and them lay 10 km of unbroken fast ice.
Split into simpler sentences: These were the "Pravda", the "Volodarskiy" and the "Tovarich Stalin". These appeared dead ahead, but between Litke and them lay 10 km of unbroken fast ice.