The ice-resistant self-propelled platform Severny Poluys, which hosted the Severny Poluys-41 expedition, has arrived back in Murmansk, reports a TASS correspondent. This first comprehensive expedition of its kind in ten years spent over one and a half years in the Arctic gathering extensive data about high-latitude processes.

Alexander Makarov, head of AARI, emphasised that operating from an ice-resistant platform rather than an ice camp maximised efficiency during the expedition. 'We used new heavy equipment such as geological samplers and oceanographic tools that would have been impractical from an ice base,' he explained. 'There were several instances where ice floes disintegrated, forcing us to dismantle our camp,' he informed journalists.

He added that staying on the ship was very comfortable for the polar explorers and incomparable to life in an ice camp. 'The platform performed maximally efficiently on the ice. We were pleasantly surprised by how nicely it functioned, making it very convenient to set up camp on the ice. It's hard to overstate how the scientists' quality of life on board influences their willingness to work,' stressed Makarov.