Ukraine to modernize its Antarctic station for the first time in 22 years

"For the first time in 22 years, during which the station has belonged to Ukraine, quite serious funds have been allocated for its modernization and reconstruction. We will replace the power supply system, the heating system, desalination system and a number of other things for the first time since the British times. Fortunately, the Britons gave us the station in such a good condition that it managed to stand out for almost a quarter of a century without repairs and modernization... The budget for 2018, for the first time in 22 years, provided UAH 15 million for the capital reconstruction of the station. At the end of 2018, thanks to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Finance, a total of UAH 27 million USD were added to that sum, of which UAH 19.6 million was intended specifically for the modernization of the station," Acting Director of the National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine Yevhen Dykyi, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He stressed that the repair works would last for two seasons. On January 20, the repair team will leave for Antarctica, and the purchased equipment will be delivered to the station from a port in Chile.