In 1932, the crew of the ship "Alexander Siberikov" along with participants of a scientific expedition led by Otto Schmidt made a historic voyage from Arkhangelsk to Japan in one navigation for the first time in Russian history. A forgotten and lonely pensioner, Alexander Siberikov, living in Nice, learned about this event from the newspapers. Thus, his long-held dream was realized, and the Northern Sea Route was opened.

The idea of establishing this route originated with the Irkutsk gold miner Siberikov in the 1850s. To develop his business, a branched transport system was required, but at that time, there were only small roads in Siberia. Alexander Mikhailovich decided to focus on rivers as an alternative to the broken roads, believing that they could be used as "river roads." He began investing significant funds in geographical and scientific expeditions, inviting scientists and researchers, including from abroad. Gradually, they concluded that it was possible to establish the Northern Sea Route, although the expeditions often faced failures. However, the first road from Arkhangelsk had already been laid.

Later, Siberikov decided to create a separate but well-equipped route from Siberia to Europe. He often personally embarked on such "expeditions." His companions recalled that he dressed like a peasant, and not everyone could guess that they were in the presence of one of the richest men in Siberia. While exploring the area, Alexander Mikhailovich traveled incognito, sometimes leaving the camp to learn about secret paths in nearby villages.

In 1885, the route was established, and several thousand poods of grain arrived in Pechora. The famine that had previously been common in this region receded, and bread prices for local residents significantly decreased. After the successful completion of the project, Alexander Siberikov moved first to Batumi and then to Nice. After the revolution, he lived in extreme poverty and passed away at the age of 84.