Russia is renowned for many outstanding navigators, among whom are well-known names such as Kolchak, Nakhimov, Lisyansky, Golovnin, and Lazarev. A special place is held by the legendary Arctic explorer, Admiral Fyodor Petrovich Litke.

Litke began his career as a midshipman on a rowing gunboat and participated in battles against the French near Danzig in 1813. For his bravery, he was awarded the Order of St. George and received the rank of ensign. At the age of 20, under the guidance of the famous navigator Vasily Golovnin, Fyodor embarked on a circumnavigation aboard the military sloop 'Kamchatka.'

Thanks to Golovnin's recommendation, the 24-year-old officer was appointed leader of an expedition to the shores of Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean about which little was known at the time. A 16-gun brig 'Novaya Zemlya' was specially built for the expedition, featuring a reinforced hull and copper sheathing on the underwater part.

At Litke's initiative, the ship was further improved: the masts were altered, the sheathing was strengthened, and two cast-iron stoves were installed on the living deck. These measures proved effective: the brig successfully navigated icy barriers, withstood strong storms, and ran aground but remained intact.

On this vessel, Litke made four trips to northern waters to study Novaya Zemlya. He created accurate cartographic descriptions of the archipelago, collected hydrographic, magnetic, and astronomical data, and brought back samples of flora and fauna.

Fyodor Petrovich planned to continue his research in the North but was appointed leader of the nineteenth Russian circumnavigation expedition for hydrographic studies of the Pacific Ocean. The Admiralty prepared two ships, 'Sinyavin' and 'Moller.'

The expedition started in August 1826 from Kronstadt and lasted three years. Litke conducted numerous studies: he discovered the Karaginsky Islands and provided detailed descriptions of the coasts of Kamchatka and Chukotka.

His discoveries were so significant that Germany and France, disputing over the Caroline Islands in the Pacific, turned to Litke for consultation regarding their location. One contemporary wrote: 'The name Litke became known to the educated world and took its place among the outstanding travelers and navigators of our century.'