The Russian Navy’s oceanographic research vessel Admiral Vladimirsky arrived in the Bellingshausen Sea to carry out explorations as part of the 5th stage of the round-the-world expedition devoted to the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the Antarctic by Russian explorers, the Defense Ministry of Russia reported on Mondayç EDNeüs reports citing Tass News.

"During the explorations in the Bellingshausen Sea, the oceanographic research vessel Admiral Vladimirsky will survey the sea areas adjacent to the coastline of Peter I Island in order to adjust sea navigation maps," the ministry said in a statement.

Peter I Island is an uninhabited island located in the Bellingshausen Sea 400 km off the Antarctic coast in the Antarctic portion of the Pacific Ocean. It was discovered on January 11 (under the Julian calendar), 1821 by the Russian expedition under the command of Faddey Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev and named after Emperor Peter the Great, the founder of the Russian regular fleet.

The island is located south of 60 degrees of the southern latitude and is covered by the international law on the Antarctic.

The round-the-world expedition kicked off in December 2019 and will last until June.

The Russian expedition led by prominent explorers Faddey Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev discovered the Antarctic on January 28, 1820. On that day, 200 years ago, the explorers approached the shores of the ice-covered continent aboard the sloops Vostok and Mirny. After circumnavigating the Antarctic ice sheets, the expedition confirmed the existence of the sixth continent, the Antarctic.