Since ancient times, the idea of establishing the Northern Sea Route from Arkhangelsk to the Far East attracted the attention of many researchers. However, until the early 20th century, all attempts were unsuccessful. Since 1910, numerous hydrographic expeditions were conducted to study the Arctic Ocean. In 1913, a new expedition was led by 28-year-old Captain Boris Vilkitsky, who already had experience from the Russo-Japanese War. The expedition plan was carefully developed with the active participation of Alexander Kolchak.

The voyage proved difficult due to ice and strong winds, sometimes they could only cover a few kilometers in several days. Nevertheless, by the end of 1913, the sailors noticed unknown islands on the horizon. At first, they thought it was the legendary Sannikov Land, but upon approaching, it turned out to be new, previously unknown islands. Thus, the Northern Land was discovered, which Vilkitsky named "Land of Emperor Nicholas II." This was the last geographic discovery in the world. Later, the cabinet of ministers announced this to the world, stating: "A significant number of discoveries and geographic studies in the polar regions have been supplemented by recent successes. The government has the honor to inform the governments of allied and friendly powers about the inclusion of these lands into the territory of the Russian Empire."

In 1914, another attempt was made to explore the Northern Sea Route, but Vilkitsky's ships became trapped in the ice, leading to prolonged drifting. To maintain the team's spirit, the captain organized creative evenings, quizzes, and even several times the sailors played football. When the Civil War began, polar expeditions took a back seat.

Boris Vilkitsky emigrated to Belgium, where he worked in the African colony of Congo, and later taught Russian in Brussels, where he passed away in 1961. Almost 30 years later, his ashes were reburied at the Smolensky Cemetery in St. Petersburg.