Russian explorers close North Pole-37 drifting station

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THE "ROSSIA" ICEBREAKER, June 6 (Itar-Tass) - Russian polar explorers,
members of the "High-Latitude Arctic-2010" expedition and the crew of the
icebreaker 'Rossia' officially closed the North Pole - 37 drifting station
in the Arctic on Saturday.
"Over the past nine months fifteen polar explorers represented the
interests of Russia and the whole mankind in the extremely harsh
conditions of the Arctic," Vladimir Sokolov, the head of the high-latitude
expedition, said.
"The scientists working on the North Pole -37 Arctic station have done
a huge amount of work vital for the development of science and the
exploration of the Arctic. The research they carried out is particularly
important in conditions of changing climate," Sokolov went on to say.
Russian explorers planted the Russian flag at the North Pole-37
station on September 7, 2009. The drift of the ice cake on which the
station was based was about 2,000 kilometers. Sokolov described the drift
of the North Pole - 37 and the Rossia nuclear icebreaker's mission as
unique events.
"Not a single Russian drifting station has ever sailed to the
high-latitude part of the Canadian Hollow of the Arctic basin. Nor has a
single surface vessel ever passed to these high latitudes in this time of
the year," Sokolov emphasized.
The closing ceremony ended with the lowering of the Russian national
flag that was installed at a special platform in front of the Rossia
icebreaker.

. Russia's Arctic expedition heads for Murmansk.

THE "ROSSIA" ICEBREAKER, June 6 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's "High-Latitude
Arctic" expedition is heading for the northern port of Murmansk.
Russian polar explorers, members of the "High-Latitude Arctic-2010"
expedition and the crew of the icebreaker 'Rossia' officially closed the
North Pole - 37 drifting station in the Arctic on Saturday.
"Over the past nine months fifteen polar explorers represented the
interests of Russia and the whole mankind in the extremely harsh
conditions of the Arctic," Vladimir Sokolov, the head of the high-latitude
expedition, said.
"The scientists who worked on the North Pole -37 Arctic station have
done a huge amount of work vital for the development of science and the
exploration of the Arctic. The research they carried out is particularly
important in conditions of changing climate," Sokolov went on to say.
Russian explorers planted the Russian flag at the North Pole-37
station on September 7, 2009. The drift of the ice cake on which the
station was based was about 2,000 kilometers. Sokolov described the drift
of the North Pole - 37 and the Rossia nuclear icebreaker's mission as
unique events.
"Not a single Russian drifting station has ever sailed to the
high-latitude part of the Canadian Hollow of the Arctic basin. Nor has a
single surface vessel ever passed to these high latitudes in this time of
the year," Sokolov emphasized.
The closing ceremony ended with the lowering of the Russian national
flag that was installed at a special platform in front of the Rossia
icebreaker.
Russia's Institute of Arctic and Antarctic studies had organized the
"High-Latitude Arctic-2010" expedition with an aim to close the North Pole
-37 drifting station after the drifting ice-cake on which the explorers
were working had split into several smaller ice floes under the impact of
a natural phenomenon known as drift divide.

. Monument to modern airborne troops founder unveiled.

CHISINAU, June 6 (Itar-Tass) - A monument to Vasily Margelov, the
founder of modern airborne troops and Hero of the USSR, was unveiled in
Moldova on Saturday in the presence of his sons, General Vitaly Margelov
and the Hero of Russia General Alexander Margelov.
Vitaly Margelov said that the monument was devoted not only to his
father but also to all paratroopers who still revered and observed the
traditions of combat brotherhood laid down by Vasily Margelov.
"This, above all, is historical memory to those who forged victory
over fascism," Vitaly Margelov went on to say.
Moldovan paratroopers, members of the Beret, Honour and Dignity,
raised money for the monument's construction.
"We are particularly happy to be talking part in the unveiling of a
monument to our father who liberated Moldova from fascists in 1944. I was
born here, in Chisinau, in 1945," Alexander Margelov said.
Russian Ambassador to Moldova Valery Kuzmin emphasized that the
opening of this monument proved that the memory of the defenders of the
common Motherland was living in the hearts of modern generations.

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