The message reads, in part:
“Today, we honour courageous and dedicated people with a strong spirit, who have devoted themselves to serving our Motherland in the harsh Arctic and Antarctic environments. It is thanks to the selfless efforts of these scientists, geologists, pilots, sailors and people of other professions that we traced maritime and air routes, developed mineral deposits and created a solid foundation for strengthening our country’s positions in the polar regions. Of course, on this day we remember the outstanding and unforgettable events in the history of Russia. In fact, 70 years ago, in 1956, Mirny, the USSR’s first station in the Antarctic, was launched, opening new horizons in carrying out research on the White Continent.
It is gratifying that you have been preserving and building on the outstanding achievements of your predecessors with great diligence and care while expanding Russia’s presence in the Arctic and the Antarctic, and contributing to major infrastructure projects, as well as important ecological, environmental protection and educational programmes.”