Russian Ship To Go To Antarctica In 2019 To Mark 200th Anniversary Of Discovery - Official

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd February, 2019) Russian barque Kruzenshtern will start a trip to Antarctica in the second half of 2019 to honor the 200th anniversary of the continent's discovery along the route of the Bellingshausen-Lazarev expedition, while another two sailing ships, Sedov barque and Pallada frigate, will make a world tour to commemorate the event, chairman of the All-Russian Movement for Support of the Navy, Capt. 1st Rank Mikhail Nenashev, told Sputnik.

The South Polar expedition of two military sloops � Vostok under command of Faddey Bellingshausen and Mirny led by Mikhail Lazarev � set off from Kronstadt in 1819 for a long voyage and discovered Antarctica on January 28, 1820. In 1821, the two ships successfully returned to Kronstadt. They spent 751 days sailing and covered more than 92,000 kilometers (almost 50,000 nautical miles). In addition to Antarctica, the expedition discovered 29 islands and one coral reef. Russian sailors conducted scientific and oceanographic research during their expedition.

"The Russian government responded to the call of the seamen and decided to send Kruzenshtern barque to Antarctica in honor of the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the continent by our ancestors. In 2019, Kruzenshtern is planned to leave Kaliningrad, Pallada will start from Vladivostok, and Sedov from Kronstadt," Nenashev said.

In September, Nenashev told Sputnik that the movement had proposed to declare 2020 the year of the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica. He noted that the anniversary was worth holding a number of memorable events, including release of thematic movies and books, preparation of relevant internet projects, and opening of a monument to Russian discoverers of the sixth continent in St. Petersburg. Nenashev explained that it was necessary to assign such a high status to the date, because the trend to distort and diminish the role of Russian travelers-discoverers in the development of Antarctica has been on the rise in recent times.