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Accidental discovery of Soviet base under Antarctica ice leaves this man speechless

Chris Brown and his son Mika accidentally found Soviet meteorological research station, established in 1958 and now buried under ice and snow

By Web Desk
February 16, 2024
The Bust of Lenin as seen from Chris and Mikas plane in Antarctica. — Jam Press/Chris Brown
The Bust of Lenin as seen from Chris and Mika's plane in Antarctica. — Jam Press/Chris Brown

Have you ever stumbled upon a piece of history so chillingly frozen in time that it sends shivers down your spine? 

Well, imagine discovering an abandoned Soviet base hidden beneath the icy depths of Antarctica, all thanks to a head peeking out from the frozen expanse. 

The extraordinary tale unfolds with Chris Brown, 62, and his son Mika, 28, who found themselves in a frosty predicament after their plane succumbed to the unforgiving -28°C conditions in the frozen wilderness.

The Soviet research station with a Bust of Lenin sitting on top before the bottom three quarters were entirely buried beneath the ice and snow. — Jam Press/Olav Orheim
The Soviet research station with a Bust of Lenin sitting on top before the bottom three quarters were entirely buried beneath the ice and snow. — Jam Press/Olav Orheim

Their journey led them to the Pole of Inaccessibility, the most remote part of Antarctica, where a peculiar sight greeted them—an imposing bust of Vladimir Lenin protruding from the snow and ice. 

Little did they know, beneath this frozen sentinel lay the remnants of a Soviet meteorological research station, established in 1958 and now buried beneath layers of ice and snow.

In a captivating TikTok video, Chris shared the images of their discovery, capturing the attention of a global audience. The revelation left viewers astounded, with comments reflecting surprise at the hidden structure beneath Lenin's gaze. One viewer exclaimed, "There's an entire building under the bust????".

The statue has been sitting on top of a former Soviet Union research station buried deep below the surface. — Jam Press/Chris Brown
The statue has been sitting on top of a former Soviet Union research station buried deep below the surface. — Jam Press/Chris Brown

The Lenin bust, perched atop a wooden plinth, holds a mysterious past. 

Chris Brown unveiled the tale of its orientation—a symbolic game between Russian and American explorers during the height of the Cold War. Initially facing Moscow, American explorers later turned it towards Washington. Subsequently, the Russians, not amused by the twist, swiftly reverted it to its original position, creating a frozen testament to geopolitical tensions.

@chrisbrownexplores I was literally trapped in Antarctica for 28 days in January 2022. Flights couldn't get in or out of the continent during a series of treacherous storms. Fresh food had run out, basic food was running low and at one point all of the heating elements had failed. Take a look at my previous video to see how cold it was! Unusually, for Antarctica, since it is a desert, there was also heavy snowfall, meaning we spent many an hour just manually digging tents out of the drifts. This series of storms, with winds gusting up to 120mph and lasting for as long as five days each, would ultimately serve to scupper our first attempt at reaching the Antarctic Pole of Inaccessibility. The people behind the whole Antarctic logistical operation had not seen storms like these in 17 years of operating there! #fyp #tiktokviral #explorer #expedition #storytime #southpole #antarctica #adventure #poleofinaccessibility #poi #snowstorm #dangeroussnowday #antarctic #antarcticadventure #antarcticexpedition ♬ original sound - Chris Brown

As Chris pondered the purpose of cables connecting the bust, he mused, "I wondered what those cables were, and what would have happened if we tried to open up that wooden box." The mysteries surrounding this Antarctic relic add an air of intrigue to an already captivating narrative.

Chris Brown's ambitious quest to visit all seven of the world's land-based Poles of Inaccessibility has brought him face to face with frozen wonders. From the South Pole to the African Pole, he's on the brink of achieving a remarkable feat, having already conquered five of these remote locations.

Chris said, "When we got there, we had quite good weather. It was only -30°C, whereas the average temperature at that location is -58°C, so we spent quite a lot of time looking at it."