The drone footage, set to chilled-out saxophone music, contains some exciting and rare shots, including footage of a polar bear lounging on grass, beaching walruses, snow-covered mountains, icebergs, and endless northern landscapes.

The video was filmed during a 44-day expedition to Franz Josef Land, jointly organized by the Defense Ministry, the Russian Geographical Society, and the Russian Arctic National Park.

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The archipelago, which consists of almost 200 islands, is located 969km from the North Pole – closer than any other landmass in the Eastern Hemisphere.

The expedition performed more than 20 landings in the Arctic, discovering six new islands and measuring the maximum depth of the Barents Sea, which is 632 meters deep.

Russia has been heavily investing in research and exploration in the Arctic in recent years as other regional players – Canada, Denmark, Norway, and the US – are looking to lay claim in the area due to its rich natural resources and strategic geographical position.

The Russian military presence in the Arctic is also being boosted, with the country building and repairing bases and airfields, as well as deploying its newest hardware, including S-400 air defense systems, there.

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