On December 8, 2015 Consul General of Russia in Cape Town R. Ambarov met with the head of the 61st seasonal Russian Antarctic Expedition V. Kiselev and captain of the vessel, sea captain I. Stetsun on board of "Akademik Fedorov". During the meeting, he stressed the importance of the activities carried out by the Russian Antarctic Expedition in the interests of the Russian Federation.
Remarkably, the event took place against the background of some memorable dates from the history of Soviet and Russian Antarctic exploration. On July 13, 1955 - 60 years ago - the USSR Council of Ministers by its resolution established the Comprehensive Antarctic Expedition, and on November 30 of that year the flagship of the Russian Antarctic fleet, diesel-electric vessel "Ob’" left the port of Kaliningrad to start its first Antarctic voyage. February 13, 2016 will mark 60 years from the beginning of regular Russian Antarctic expeditions and the day when the first Russian Antarctic station “Mirny” was opened.

See other photos on our Facebook page.