This day in Russian history and the History of the world.

January 28

January 28, 1820: Russian expedition led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen (Faddey Faddeyevich Bellinsgauzen) and Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev discovered the Antarctic continent approaching the Antarctic coast.

Bellingshausen served as a naval officer of the Russian Empire and commanded the second Russian expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

During this expedition Bellingshausen became one of three Europeans to first see the continent of Antarctica.

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