Twelve Ukrainian research scientists, including geologists, geophysicists, biologists, doctors, and engineers went on an expedition to Antarctica where they are going to replace the previous crew, who have spent the entire past year there. The scientists are all male. Women are not taken in long-term expeditions. “They cannot endure this sort of physical strain,” says Yevhen Moiseienko, scientific director for biomedical research, member of the first Antarctic marine expedition on Ernst Krenkel Research Vessel as well as of several seasonal expeditions. According to him, there was an experiment with bringing women in 1997, but later it was decided not to repeat it. However, women are often involved in short-term seasonal expeditions.
When asked about the importance of the Academic Vernadsky station, Moiseienko says that Ukraine is one to the Antarctic states with the right to vote Antarctic activities; there are only 29 such states in the world today. Ukraine was admitted to this community in 2000. “We conduct research in different areas, and we have a certain position in the world in every area. We look rather well there, and it is probably the only global activity in Ukraine, which is maintained at a good level. This is the prestige of Ukraine and the prestige of Ukrainian science. Moreover, Antarctica is still poorly explored, and there are large reserves of minerals. Also, it is a stockpile of fresh water (holding up to 90 percent of all worldwide fresh water). We are present there in terms of research and therefore we will potentially have the right to control the development of these resources that will be used to further human progress,” the scientist maintains.
The greatest challenge for the members of the expedition is a year-round stay in a closed group. In particular, there is a lack of communication with loved ones. The telephone is expensive – 1.24 dollars per minute, as well as online access – 1 MB of traffic costs 205 dollars, while the communications budget is only 200,000 hryvnias. The overall expedition budget is 39.2 million hryvnias. But the most pressing problem for Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions, as indentified by the scientists, is lack of scientific vessels for the operation of the station. Ukraine has lost its ship after the annexation of Crimea.
Interestingly, for the first time in many years the expedition to the station welcomes journalists. A reporter and a cameraman of news program “Today” on TV channel “Ukraine” are going to spend three weeks with the polar team in order to tell Ukrainians about our Antarctic scientific endeavors.
