Antarctic Achievements by Ukrainian Scientists
Researchers from Ukraine's Akademik Vernadsky Antarctic station have achieved a remarkable feat, winning three top awards in the Wikipedia Science Image Contest. This unprecedented result for a Ukrainian expedition was accomplished during the 31st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition. The competition, which ran in Ukraine from November 20 to December 20, 2025, featured 744 entries. This contest highlights the global scientific community's efforts to document and share research visually.
Leading the 31st expedition is meteorologist Anzhelika Hanchuk, the first woman to head a Ukrainian Antarctic mission. Her team, stationed at Akademik Vernadsky for a year, conducts research across three core areas: geophysics, meteorology, and biology. Beyond their scientific duties, the researchers are also responsible for maintaining the station's critical infrastructure. As center representatives noted,
"Scientists in Antarctica are not only engaged in research but also ensure the proper state of the infrastructure. For instance, the height of such a mast is 12 meters."
Contest Categories and Winners
The competition featured several categories, including:
- Microscopy
- Living Organisms
- People in Science
- Non-Photographic Images
- General Category
- Special Category: Consequences of War
In the 'People in Science' category, researcher Anna Soina won first place with her photograph of geophysicist Oleksandr Bohomaz from the 29th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition. Anna Soina and Oleksandr Bohomaz also took first place in 'Living Organisms' for their images of a south polar skua, a giant petrel, a south polar skua with a chick, and a white plover chick in a nest. Biologist Zoya Shvydka won the 'Non-Photographic Images' category with her video of a crabeater seal crawling on ice. Anna Soina additionally secured third place in the 'General Category'.
These accomplishments underscore the significance of Ukrainian polar research in Antarctica. It is noteworthy that the king penguin, a rare visitor to the Akademik Vernadsky station area which typically resides thousands of kilometers from Galindez Island, was previously encountered by researchers from the 30th Antarctic expedition. Such encounters demonstrate the active and valuable nature of their work in this unique region.
This success not only highlights the high professionalism of Ukrainian scientists but also promotes science both within Ukraine and internationally. Victories in such a contest open new opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange with researchers worldwide. Their Antarctic work holds substantial educational value, raising awareness about ecological changes and the preservation of biodiversity in vulnerable regions like Antarctica.
As the Ukrainian Antarctic team continues to make significant strides in their research, their recent achievements come on the heels of the arrival of the 31st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition at the Akademik Vernadsky station. This rotation marks a critical phase in their ongoing scientific endeavors, highlighting the importance of crew changes in maintaining operational efficiency and research continuity. To learn more about the arrival and crew rotation, visit the latest updates on the expedition.