Photo: Oksana Savenko/UAC
When Russia invaded, even Antarctica felt it. Ukraine’s polar scientists had to choose: stay or serve.
Photo: Ihor Artemenko
Before the war, life at Vernadsky Station was surreal. Icebergs, whales, and 7,000 penguins surrounded the crew. Beautiful—but smelly.
Photo: uac.gov.ua
On February 24, 2022, Ukraine’s polar team was in Chile, ready to sail. When the invasion began, no one slept. Going home was nearly impossible—so the winter crew stayed.
Photo: uac.gov.ua
Later, some made it back to fight. Two hitchhiked by yacht. Systems mechanic Maksym Bilous now serves as a sapper, training soldiers.
Maksym Bilous during the military training. Photo: Maksym Bilous
His colleague Ihor Artemenko, also joined the Armed Forces after returning from the 2020/21 expedition, where he worked as a meteorologist.
Photo: Ihor Artemenko
The 31 Military Penguins stay in touch, a close-knit group of former polar staff now serving as sappers, scouts, medics, and more. They even have a patch with a penguin and flag. “It’s like a big family,” says Maksym.
Photo: National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine.
Yurii Lyshenko lost a leg in combat, survived another strike, and returned to Antarctica in 2025.
“Now I’m an Antarctic pirate—with one leg and a penguin on my shoulder,” he jokes.
Photo: National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine.
Ihor, like many others, plans to return to science after the war. “Being a scientist—it’s for life,” he says.
Photo: Ihor Artemenko