The new Ukrainian Antarctic expedition consists of 14 men, including 9 scientists.
28th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition. Yesterday, March 18, participants of the new, 28th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition left the capital for the “Akademik Vernadskyi” station.
“Even in the conditions of a large-scale war, we must ensure the continuous operation of our only Antarctic station, because the results of the activities of Ukrainian scientists on the icy continent are important for the whole world,” said the director of the National Antarctic Science Center Eugene Dyky. — This is a series of the longest weather observations in the Antarctic, studies of climate change, space weather, the Earth’s magnetic field, the ozone hole and much more. There we are doing the global science of the 21st century and we are not stopping despite all the enemy’s attempts to push us back into the 20th century.”
Before sending, the team took a traditional photo near the monument to Mykhailo Hrushevskyi. The picture turned out to be very symbolic, because in the conditions of the war the monument is closed from possible destruction.
The 28 expedition consisted of 14 participants: 9 scientists (3 for each field of research — biology, meteorology, geophysics), a doctor, a cook, a system administrator, a system mechanic, and a diesel electrician. They will work at the station throughout the year.
For the first time in the last five years, the expedition consists only of men. Unfortunately, only 5 women applied for this competition (last year — 19), but they did not overcome all stages of competitive selection.
The team was headed by geophysicist Bohdan Gavrilyuk. He is going to spend the winter in the Antarctic for the tenth time, and this is an absolute record for Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions. In his previous – 26th expedition, Bohdan was also a base commander, and after returning in the spring of 2022, he immediately took up the defense of Ukraine in the ranks of the Border Service.
The participants of the expedition have a long and busy journey ahead of them. From Poland, they fly to South America, where our ship “Noosphere” is already waiting for future winterers in the Chilean port of Punta Arenas.
The icebreaker is supposed to deliver the Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition to the station on the 28th and return to the “big land” on the 27th, which has already worked in Antarctica for a year.
In March, Ukrainian polar explorers de-Russified the sign at the Akademik Vernadsky station. Kropyvnytskyi appeared instead of Kirovohrad, and Bucha and Mariupol were added.
Maria Kataeva
