❄️ On 22 February 1968, 58 years ago, the 1st Soviet Antarctic station "Bellingshausen" was founded This northernmost Russian Antarctic station, located King George Island, was built during the 13th Soviet Antarctic Expedition in 1968 under Alexei Treshnikov leadership. For the first winter, 12 polar explorers remained at the station, headed by Arnold Budretsky. ⚛️ Today, the station's conducts extensive year-round, multi-disciplinary research in meteorology and oceanology. During the summer season, studies focus on glaciology, geomorphology, paleogeography, hydrobiology, limnology, geobotany, zoology, ornithology, geodesy and cartography, microbiology, soil science, permafrost science and ecology, with satellite sea ice data tracking in place since 1980. Interesting fact🔻 Aside from being an important scientific outpost, it also houses the Trinity Church ⛪️- the only permanently staffed Eastern Orthodox church in Antarctica. #DisciverRussia #RussiaInAntarctica