POLAR POLITICS: Drunk Bond villain, no passport? How Russia’s ghost ship hid its Antarctic oil hunt
A Russian state ship, the Akademik Alexander Karpinsky, allegedly conducted unauthorized oil and gas exploration in Antarctica while under US sanctions. Evidence suggests the ship faked its location to hide its activities in the Unclaimed Sector of Antarctica. This revelation raises concerns about Russia's expanding geopolitical ambitions in the region.
- ▪The Akademik Alexander Karpinsky was reportedly involved in seismic surveys in Antarctica while broadcasting its location from Baltic waters.
- ▪The ship has not left Russian waters since May 2024, contradicting claims of its presence in Antarctica.
- ▪Russia's report on its Antarctic activities was presented at closed Antarctic Treaty talks in Hiroshima, Japan, in May 2026.
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POLAR POLITICS Drunk Bond villain, no passport? How Russia’s ghost ship hid its Antarctic oil hunt Exclusive: Inside the US-sanctioned ship that went dark while prospecting the forbidden waters off Earth’s largest unclaimed landmass. By Tiara Walters 3 Jun 2026 The Akademik Alexander Karpinsky, a Russian state polar survey ship, returns to Cape Town on 3 April 2023 after an expedition in the Southern Ocean. (Photo: Nic Bothma) Dive Deeper Speed Read Summary Listen Dive Deeper A Russian state ship under US sanctions went to Antarctica and hid its location to look for banned oil and gas, according to explosive evidence uncovered by Daily Maverick.
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