Belarusian Flag Reaches South Pole in Antarctica

Alexei Gaidashov, head of 17th Belarusian Antarctic Expedition, has presented the flag of Belarus which has visited the cold pole of the Earth to the National Academy of Sciences.

For the first time in the history of independent Belarus, the national flag was raised at the cold pole of the Earth at the inland station Vostok. This momentous event took place during the 17th Belarusian Antarctic Expedition.

"A member of our expedition, Vladimir Nesterovich, raised the Belarusian flag at the cold pole of the Earth. He participated in the inland sled and tracked expeditions to the Russian station Vostok. We sent him to gain experience in long-range expeditions and working with equipment. He successfully undertook this harsh trial, comparable to a flight into space. At the Vostok station, temperatures range from minus 60 to minus 75 degrees Celsius during the season," said Gaidashov.

Vladimir Nesterovich shared his impressions of his time spent in such extreme conditions. According to him, the temperatures in Antarctica are more bearable than one might expect. "Of course, the lower the temperature, the harder it is to breathe. It is essential to keep your face covered; you cannot breathe in open air, or you may risk pneumonia. We wear warm natural clothing and felt boots. We treat our skin for both wind and sun exposure and wear protective glasses," he noted.

Today, participants of the 17th Belarusian Antarctic Expedition, along with members from previous years, gathered at the Academy of Sciences, including staff from organizations in biological sciences, physics, mathematics and computer science, chemistry, and earth sciences, all involved in Antarctic research, as well as leaders of scientific organizations and young scholars.

The ceremonial start of the 17th Belarusian Antarctic Expedition was held on October 28, 2024. Fourteen individuals, led by experienced polar explorer Alexei Gaidashov, who has participated in all previous sixteen expeditions, journeyed to Antarctica. The expedition team included scientific staff from the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (Republican Center for Polar Research, National Research Center for Bio-resources, Institute of Natural Resource Management, Institute of Physics), as well as representatives from Belarusian State University, Belhydromet, and other national organizations.