To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Ukrainian Antarctic station “Akademik Vernadsky,” Ukrposhta, the national postal operator of Ukraine, issued the commemorative stamp “30 Years of the Akademik Vernadsky Antarctic Station” on February 6, 2026. The stamp honors three decades of Ukrainian research in Antarctica.
The main motif features a young Weddell seal, which can be observed around the station during the Antarctic spring. The stamp sheet also depicts penguins, more than 10,000 of them live on the island where the station is located.
A special postmark accompanies the issue, referencing the ice-class research vessel “Noosphere,” which is used directly on board the icebreaker during expeditions. This highlights the connection between Ukrainian postal services and science, even in the most remote place on Earth.
The issue was produced with the support of the National Antarctic Research Center. The first day ceremony took place at the “Sens” bookstore in Kyiv.
The stamp has a print run of 630,000 copies. In addition, 15,000 first day covers, 15,000 art cards, and 400 presentation folders were issued. The stamp is now available at Ukrposhta branches and online.
Website: Ukrposhta, Stamps
Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal