Russian Embassy in South Africa

🇷🇺 Russian scientists at ‘Vostok’ station in Central Antarctica are engaged in climate research that will allow to better understand the causes of current climate change and assess the risks of global warming.

Underneath the Russian station, lies the largest subglacial lake on Earth. It was discovered in late XX century and was named after the Russian station – ‘Vostok.’ The area of this subglacial freshwater reservoir is about 16,000 square kilometres, the thickness of the water layer reaches 1,200 metres.

💧For several million years, the ecosystem of Lake Vostok has been isolated from external influences under a layer of ice at a depth of about 4 kilometres.

🔬 In 2023, Russian scientists could penetrate 3.5 kilometres deep to the ice layer above the lake, and got samples of the ice core said to be over 1 million years old.

☝️ The unique samples contain information about climate changes on Earth during the Middle Pleistocene, when the climate system was supposedly restructured with the change of glacial and interglacial periods occurring every 100,000 years.

#RussiainAntarctica

❄️ The cold is no reason to stay at home!

Let's visit Father Frost (Russian Santa Claus), hunt for the northern lights and get acquainted with the New Year's capital. Check out 5 ideas for a winter trip to Russia.

❄️ Veliky Ustyug

This ancient city of the Russian North is a real open-air museum. There are more than 150 cultural heritage sites, including 28 majestic churches from the 17th-18th centuries. The city is also famous for its crafts: it is the birthplace of “frost on tin” and northern niello on silver.

And the most famous resident of Veliky Ustyug is Ded Moroz (Father Frost). In his fiefdom, you can not only meet him in person, but also walk along a fairy-tale path and ride on a Russian stove.

❄️ Rybinsk

This city will take you back to the 19th century. Rybinsk is a merchant city on the Volga River, the center of which is stylized in the olden days. Even the signs of cafes and stores are made in the same retro style.
There is also a museum of the Nobel brothers, who developed the oil industry in the city and on the Volga.

❄️ Murmansk

Dreaming of seeing the Northern Lights? Then head to Murmansk, the world's largest city above the Arctic Circle. It is convenient to get there by train, airplane and car. In December, the polar night arrives, which lasts 41 days, but the city is brightly illuminated. And, if you are lucky, you will see the Northern Lights.

The best place to admire this phenomenon is outside the city – for example, in the old fishing village of Teriberka, popular with tourists today.

❄️ Lake Baikal

Ice is a big reason to travel to Baikal! The famous lake freezes completely closer to February and there are dozens of types of ice and ice formations. You will also see various patterns of cracks and bubbles that form in the crystal clear water. The easiest way of getting to Baikal and Olkhon Island is from Irkutsk.

❄️ Suzdal

The beauty of Russian winter in the ancient city of the Golden Ring! There are sights at every step: the Suzdal Kremlin, the Museum of Wooden Architecture and many merchant houses. There are also a lot of cafes and souvenir stores on Market Square. In the cold season, they sell ‘sbiten’, a hot honey-based drink, on the streets to make walking even more pleasant.

By Gateway to Russia

#DiscoverRussia #VisitRussia