Ukrainian Polar Explorers in Antarctica Showed Their Menu: What They Eat at the Edge of the World.

According to FREEДOM:

Documentary Film About the Life of Ukrainian Polar Explorers

The documentary film of the Ukrainian international broadcasting "Warriors of Science" showcases the everyday life of the 29th Ukrainian Antarctic expedition at the 'Akademik Vernadsky' station. Special attention is paid to the organization of food supply in the wilderness.

Harsh Conditions and Diverse Menu

Life at the station in Antarctica means isolation from the outside world, harsh climatic conditions, and limited supplies. However, despite this, Ukrainian polar explorers enjoy a diverse menu. Supplies last for about eight months, after which they are delivered by the icebreaker 'Noosphere'. During the trip to the station, not only food is loaded, but also medicine, fuel, and equipment, so improvisation is not a common practice here.

Every day, the chef at the station faces new challenges. The film shows how first courses, meat with a side dish, vegetable salads and even homemade pastries are prepared for lunch. Caloric content and variety of dishes are important because polar explorers work in tough conditions and require significantly more energy than usual.

Lunch from Chef Oleksandr Maslov

In this expedition, the chef was Oleksandr Maslov, who had already spent eight months working at the station when the journalists arrived in Antarctica. For lunch, he offered soup, liver cake, baked red fish in spinach sauce, vegetable salad, and a choice of side: baked potatoes or pasta in tomato sauce. Oleksandr commented on the menu:

'I would say it is very modest.'

Also, Artem Ihnatenko, a participant of the 26th expedition who currently serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, shared his thoughts on working in the kitchen in Antarctica.

'I worked as a cook in the 26th expedition. It was hard, but the atmosphere compensated for all the difficulties. You step outside the station — mountains, snow, ocean, penguins, whales… There are no people. You just enjoy it,' recalls Ihnatenko.

Bar 'Faraday': A Special Place for Polar Explorers

A special place in the life of the polar explorers is the bar 'Faraday', the southernmost bar in the world. Here they celebrate birthdays and gather every Saturday. The bar is decorated in the style of a British pub and came to the Ukrainians along with the 'Akademik Vernadsky' station. A 1-pound sterling coin is embedded in the bar counter, which symbolically bought the station from the British in 1996.

The documentary film "Warriors of Science" demonstrates that behind every scientific discovery in Antarctica lies not only the courage of scientists but also the everyday aspects without which the expedition would be impossible.

Premiere of the Film and Awards

It should be noted that on August 30, the premiere of the documentary film 'Warriors of Science' about Ukrainian polar explorers will take place on the channels of Ukrainian international broadcasting 'Dim', FREEДОМ, UATV.English, and The Gaze. The film was shot in Antarctica, at the 'Akademik Vernadsky' polar station, in Ukraine, and in the front zone. The film will be released in three languages: Ukrainian, English, and Russian. The premiere on the 'Dim' channel is at 21:00, on the FREEДОМ channel at 10:30, on UATV.English at 22:00, and on The Gaze at midnight.

The film 'Warriors of Science' received the award for 'Best Director's Work' at the National Documentary Film Festival Cinema for Victory.

• Idea Author, Journalist: Hennadiy Kurkin
• Director: Kyrylo Bin
• Cinematographers: Ruslan Bilozorov, Yevhen Savitsky, Oleksandr Khan
• Post-production, Editing Director: Mikael Torgomyank

The documentary film 'Warriors of Science' not only sheds light on the daily life of Ukrainian polar explorers but also opens new facets of scientific research work in extreme conditions. The premiere of the film will be a wonderful opportunity for a wide audience to learn more about life in Antarctica and the challenges scientists face in their pursuit of new knowledge.