Government extends state Antarctic research programme until 2027

On 30 December, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a decision to extend the State Targeted Scientific and Technical Programme for Antarctic Research for a further two years – until the end of 2027. The decision makes it possible to maintain the continuity and sustainability of Ukrainian polar research and the state’s stable presence in one of the key regions of global science.

The programme covers the work of Antarctic expeditions, the operation of the Vernadsky Research Base, and the use of the research vessel Noosfera.

The programme provides not only for fundamental and applied research, but also for a range of organisational and technical measures: material, technical, and logistical support for expeditions; modernisation of Antarctic infrastructure; and participation in international scientific initiatives in accordance with the decisions of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).

The Vernadsky Research Base is one of the key sites for long-term climatic, atmospheric, and geomagnetic observations in Antarctica. These data form part of international scientific datasets and are used for analysing climate change, forecasting weather processes, and applied research.

An important component of the programme is international cooperation. In the current Antarctic season, the vessel Noosfera is working in partnership with scientific teams from the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, Czechia, Mexico, and Colombia. Such collaboration strengthens Ukraine’s role in the international scientific community and serves as an effective tool of scientific diplomacy.

Extending the programme makes it possible to preserve scientific continuity, data, and the state’s investments in polar research even under wartime conditions. After the war ends, the Government plans to prepare and adopt a new ten-year polar research programme, significantly expanded compared with the current one.