Trans-Arctic polar expedition to begin in March - ministry

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. The Trans-Arctic 2019 scientific polar expedition to monitor the environment will begin in March, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology’s press service said. "The polar expedition will begin in March, and scientists will continue studies in the Arctic seas and ice till autumn, 2019," the press service said in a statement. "The objective is to improve the system of hydro meteorology safety of Russia’s activities in the Arctic seas in implementation of the country’s scientific and practical interests." The scientific research and studies will involve four research vessels of the national hydrometeorology authority, Roshydromet. During the cruise from Vladivostok via the Bering Strait to the Kola Peninsula, teams of the research vessels Mikhal Somov and Professor Multanovskiy will monitor the Arctic seas’ environment, while the Akademik Treshnikov vessel will be frozen into ice. Besides, the annual Floating University will be organized traditionally onboard the Professor Molchanov vessel. "Science should go ahead of development, this is my position," the press service quoted Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Dmitry Kobylkin as saying. "Russian scientists have colossal experience in the Arctic, and with the plans to develop the Northern Sea Route, to continue geology studies of the shelves, to focus on protection of the nature - we must be present in the country’s Arctic zone permanently to structure a reliable system to monitor and analyze processes there." Earlier, Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered to allocate 868.75 million rubles in 2019 ($13.2 million) to finance the Trans-Arctic 2019 scientific expedition, which will research and monitor the Arctic environment. Read more