MURMANSK, November 21. /TASS/. The Ministry for Development of the Far East and Arctic together with the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute will organize an international scientific research expedition to the Arctic in 2026, Minister Alexey Chekunkov said.

"We have been working on a high-latitude expedition with the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, the scientific and creative community," the minister said following a meeting of the Russian State Council's Commission on the Northern Sea Route and the Arctic.

The expedition is planned for 2026, he continued. "It will feature scientists and polar explorers, as well as cultural, artistic, and architecture specialists from Russia, Brazil, South Africa, China, and India. The expedition is timed to coincide with the 95th anniversary of Arktikugol Trust's establishment," the minister told TASS.

The expedition will have two stages. At the first, scientific and educational, stage, due to start in August, the Akademik Tryoshnikov scientific expedition vessel will take the expedition members from St. Petersburg, sailing to Murmansk, and then to Novaya Zemlya - Franz Josef Land - Severnaya Zemlya - the North Pole-43 ice-resistant platform, he said. The main goal is to collect data on the ocean and ice conditions to make long-term climate change forecasts for the Arctic region, and for the exchange of scientific research and observation data.

At the second, cultural and tourist, stage, scheduled for September, the expedition's Professor Molchanov vessel will act as an interdisciplinary creative laboratory. The voyage's participants will discuss practical approaches and ideas for development of Arctic tourism, urban planning and architectural tasks, cultural and educational projects. Spitsbergen will host for three months mobile installations, open-air museums, photo and film studios, art laboratories, lectures and seminars.