| Russia
Returns to the Arctic
BBC
News
Posted May 1, 2003
 Russia
has marked its return to the Arctic after a 12-year absence
by raising its national flag at a polar research station.
A
group of 12 scientists, led by polar explorer and parliamentarian
Artur Chilingarov, have set up camp on an ice floe about 150
km from the North Pole. They have named it North Pole-32.
The
experts plan to spend the next six months studying the Arctic
environment, continuing a long history of polar scientific
research, which began in 1937.
The
resumption of permanent monitoring in the Arctic will provide
important information for weather forecasting in mainland
Russia. It will also assist ships which navigate the northern
sea routes.
Moreover,
the team hopes to assess mineral reserves on the Arctic shelf,
according to a report by Russian television.
Polar
dream
Mr
Chilingarov sees Russia's return to polar research as an essential
development for the country.
"This
is our Arctic, this is the Russian Arctic and the Russian
flag should be here," he said proudly after firing a
pistol into the air to celebrate what he saw as a historic
moment.
It is very important that after a break of 12 years, Russian
scientists return to the North Pole
President
Vladimir Putin
The deputy chairman of Russia's parliament said he understood
the polar research project was "politically important"
and that it was also an "educational and patriotic objective".
He
said he hoped the work of his team would inspire other Russians
to pursue polar research.
"Let
people dream not only of being managers, let's have as many
people as possible becoming polar explorers," he said.
Mr
Chilingarov's passionate appeal comes as no surprise as he
is also president of the Association of Russian Polar Explorers.
The
head of the North Pole-32 research station, Vladimir Koshelev,
shares Mr Chilingarov's enthusiasm for their work.
"We
spent a long time getting to this point but... it was a huge
joy," he said.
"You
see, this is our work, and we know how to do this and we know
how to do it pretty well."
Mr
Koshelev added that as Russia was a northern country, Russians
had a natural sympathy for life in the Arctic.
The
polar expedition has also attracted praise from Russian President
Vladimir Putin.
"It
is very important that after a break of 12 years, Russian
scientists return to the North Pole to continue the remarkable
traditions of the legendary polar explorers," the president
told the Russian news agency Itar-Tass.
Mr
Putin added that the expedition would have "great significance
for the development of science", which would yield many
"practical results" for the modern world.
As
the scientists set to work, Mr Chilingarov must hope that
this project does not share the fate of a previous venture.
Russia was forced to suspend Arctic missions in 1991 when
an ice floe carrying Russia's 31st polar expedition broke
up after becoming caught in a warm stream.
Mr
Chilingarov seemed confident that this mission would be a
success.
"We're
not going anywhere," he said from his ice floe.
BBC
News
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