ST. PETERSBURG, January 15. /TASS/. New Year gifts and greetings from across Russia were delivered under the Polar Mail project to the North Pole platform that has been drifting in the Arctic for 18 months. The consignment also contained necessary materials and scientific equipment, Director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI, St. Petersburg) Alexander Makarov told reporters.

"The delivered consignment includes fresh food, supplies, equipment for scientific research and - what the polar explorers have expected most of all - parcels from home, New Year gifts and greetings from across the country," he said. "For most scientists, this is the second New Year at the station in the Arctic's high latitudes. For almost a year and a half, they have been working on large-scale studies of the Arctic's natural environment."

In late 2024, the expedition term was extended to spring, 2024, thus the delivery was important to continue the work. Almost 80% of the scientists have been working at the station since September, 2022. The goods were delivered to the Arctic Ocean in a complex mission, which involved the Akademik Tryoshnikov scientific expedition vessel and a Kamov Ka-32 helicopter.

On the route to the North Pole station, the Akademik Tryoshnikov was caught in a storm in the Barents Sea, and then slowly crashed the way through the ocean's one-year-old ice. Later on, the ship had to drift along a thick edge of old ice. When the ship could approach the North Pole platform at the maximum close safe distance, the goods and new personnel were taken to the station by the helicopter. Three new team members have joined the explorers - the hydro-chemical group's leader, a geologist and a huntsman.

The huntsman at the station will be responsible for the safety of scientists in case polar bears appear nearby. During the expedition, a few times polar bears have entered the camp on the ice floe around the platform, the institute's director told TASS. There have not been direct collisions between bears and humans, but a few times the bears have damaged tents and equipment on the ice floe, he added.

Presently, it is the coldest season in the Arctic. In area where the drift continues, the air temperature drops to -35° C. The ice field's average thickness is about two meters. The ice situation has been relatively calm lately: certain longitudinal and transverse cracks in the base field remain, and are several watered gaps remain in the immediate vicinity. Over the drift since October, 2022, the expedition has covered about 3,000 kilometers. The expedition has shifted 1,300 kilometers from the starting point.

About expedition

The North Pole - 41 expedition continues the program of complex drifting research missions in the Arctic's high latitudes, which started in the Soviet times. The world's first polar research drifting Arctic station North Pole (North Pole - 1) began operation on May 21, 1937. As many as 40 such expeditions have been organized.

In 2013, a team of scientists was evacuated from the North Pole - 40 drifting station, and the program was suspended for almost ten years. In September, 2022, the program resumed at a new technological level - the expedition is supported by the North Pole ice-resistant platform.

The world's first ice-resistant self-propelled North Pole platform is designed for year-round expeditions in the Arctic Ocean's northern latitudes. It does not require icebreakers to sail to the designated area, and it can drift for up to two years and sail back to the port. The vessel takes on board 14 crew and 34 researchers. The platform is equipped with an on-board scientific complex of 15 laboratories, a mobile field camp for accommodation on ice floes.