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Medvedev approves RF Antarctic Expedition parameters

The new plan provides for the organisation and conduct of annual Antarctic expeditions

MOSCOW, January 29 (Itar-Tass) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has approved the plan of activities for supporting the Russian Antarctic Expedition and the parameters of the expedition’s activity in the 2013-2017 period.

The corresponding decree was prepared at the initiative of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and published on the RF government website.

The activities of the approved plan preserve continuity with the plan that was implemented in the 2006-2012 period. The new plan provides for the organisation and conduct of annual Antarctic expeditions for land and marine geological and geophysical research, the study of global climate change, the study of subglacial Lake Vostok, topographic surveying and mapping, as well as ground support of space activities.

Overall, the activities of the plan are aimed at maintaining and expanding Russia’s presence in the Antarctic and the fulfilment of the priority tasks of the Strategy of Russia’s activities in Antarctica for the period up to 2020 and beyond.

The approved parameters of the Russian Antarctic Expedition for 2013-2017 determine the number of the wintering and seasonal crews in the Antarctic, the list of active stations and seasonal field bases, the air and ship support strength, the volumes of fuel for the stations and the fleet of aircraft and ships.