With the blessing of Tsar Alexander I, in July 1819, the first Russian Antarctic expedition set sail from Kronshadt. Its leader was Captain Second Rank Faddey Faddeevich Bellingshausen, who also commanded the three-masted schooner *Vostok*.</p>\n "home_text": "<p>Tenent Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev served as captain of the schooner *Mirny*. The task assigned to these experienced sailors was extremely challenging: they had to advance as close as possible to the South Pole at any cost, while “discov4 photos

Tenent Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev served as captain of the schooner *Mirny*. The task assigned to these experienced sailors was extremely challenging: they had to advance as close as possible to the South Pole at any cost, while “discovering unknown lands along the way”. Six months after their departure, on January 27, 1820, the long-awaited southern continent finally came into view. The South Pole appeared before them as a vast expanse of ice covered with icy ridges. To confirm the accuracy of their discovery, Bellingshausen made three attempts to approach the landmass, but they were unable to reach the shore. The entire voyage lasted 750 days.

The perseverance of these sailors enabled them to achieve remarkable results: they discovered 28 islands in the southern seas and uncovered an previously unknown part of the continent’s coast. Bellingshausen’s expedition is rightfully regarded as one of the most important and difficult expeditions ever undertaken.