Arctic Russia

Another cover from a postoffice above the Arctic circle in Russia 

The cover has arrived from Murmansk, Russia. 

Murmansk is a port city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast in the far northwest part of Russia. It sits on both slopes and banks of a modest ria or fjord, Kola Bay, an estuarine inlet of the Barents Sea. Its bulk is on the east bank of the inlet. It is in the north of the rounded Kola Peninsula which covers most of the oblast (semi-autonomous region). The city is 108 kilometres (67 mi) from the border with Norway and 182 kilometres (113 mi) from the Finnish border. The city is named for the Murman Coast; an archaic term in Russian for Norway.

Its northern latitude of 68°58'N makes Murmansk 2° north of the Arctic Circle at approximately 66°33'N. It remains by far the largest city north of the Arctic Circle and is a major port on the Arctic Ocean.

Co-ordinates : 68.9585° N, 33.0827° E

Postal code : 183000 - 183099

The cover is from the postoffice with postal code 183038 

Northern lights seen from Murmansk- google pictures 

Thanks Kira for the beautiful cover ! 

100 years of Icebreaker Krasin ( 1917-2017)

Designed by the famous Russian seaman, Admiral Stepan O. Makarov and built in 1916 in Britain, the ship was originally named after the Russian mythological warrior - "Svyatogor". Renamed "Krasin" during the Soviet era, the powerful icebreaker took part in the rescue operation to save the Italian polar expedition led by Umberto Nobile. During WWII the "Krasin" led Allied convoys, which brought strategic supplies, arms and ammunition to the Soviet Union. The convoys fought their way to the northern Soviet seaports, despite heavy Nazi bombardment and the constant threat of submarine attacks. Many Allied ships and cargo vessels failed to reach their destination, but the "Krasin" was lucky enough to survive. After the war the historic icebreaker took an active part in research expeditions in the Polar Ocean and led Soviet cargo convoys through the polar region. Rather than being destroyed (like the famous icebreaker "Yermak") to make way for more modern ships, the "Krasin" was preserved and restored, thanks to the tremendous dedication of its captain and crew and of volunteers and naval history enthusiasts. 

Year of issue - 2017 

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