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Mikhail Somov icebreaker leaves Arkhangelsk for expedition to Chukotka

The Arctic expedition will continue for about two months

ARKHANGELSK, August 17. /TASS/. The Mikhail Somov icebreaker on Sunday night left Arkhangelsk for an expedition across Arctic seas towards Chukotka, press service of the Northern Department for hydro-meteorology and environment monitoring told TASS.

"The Mikhail Somov has departed heading for the Far East, to Chukotka, on Sunday night," the press service said. The ship could not leave earlier as it had to wait for a strong northern wind at the Northern Dvina’s mouth to calm down.

The icebreaker will go along the Northern Sea Route to the Wrangel Island crossing six Arctic seas: the White, Barents, Kara, East-Siberian, Chukchi and Laptev seas.

The Arctic expedition will continue for about two months. The icebreaker will deliver about 600 tonnes of fuel and about 1,200 tonnes of complex cargo (food, equipment, construction materials) to hard-to-reach hydro-meteorology stations.

The icebreaker will also bring new shifts of personnel to a few stations.

Jointly with experts of the Arctic and Antarctic Studies Institute, the expedition members will service automatic coastal equipment en route. The Mikhail Somov is expected back in Arkhangelsk in mid-October.

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