On August 11, 2026, the comprehensive scientific-geographical and military-patriotic expedition "Fairway of History - 2026" set off from Astrakhan. It was organized by the Hydrographic Service of the Red Banner Caspian Flotilla and P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The expedition, whose goal is to search for and conduct further surveys of sunken objects on the bottom of the Volga River, will take place on two ships: the GS-599, a small hydrographic vessel, and the BGK-160, a large hydrographic boat, along the route Astrakhan – the village of Stupino (Chernoyarsky District, Astrakhan Region) – Astrakhan.

A key part of the program will be the search for ships sunk by enemy air strikes during the Great Patriotic War, many of which are listed as missing in action. The primary objective is to locate the sunken ships, determine their fate, and identify their commanders and crew members, so that memorial signs can be erected at the sites of their demise in memory of the lost ships. Expedition participants will honor the memory of heroic sailors and river workers by laying wreaths in the water at the sites of their deaths.

BGK-160 is a large hydrographic boat,
GS-599 is a small hydrographic vessel

In parallel, environmental research will be conducted: studying the Volga's hydrological regime to determine the state of aquatic life; assessing the relief of fish wintering pits using hydroacoustic sounding methods to obtain new data on their location and predict the dynamics of the volumes and areas of these important fishery facilities in the current hydrological environment.

Along with staff from the Caspian Branch of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the expedition included student interns from Astrakhan State Technical University and Apraksin Caspian Institute of Marine and River Transport, who are currently completing their internship at the branch. They will have the opportunity to participate in research of the Volga River using side-scan sonar, a multibeam echosounder, and a remotely operated underwater vehicle, collect samples using a bottom grab and a bathometer, and perform initial processing of the obtained data.

Staff members of the Caspian Branch of the IO RAS at a ceremonial meeting
in honor of the launch of the "Fairway of History – 2026" expedition.

The ceremonial speech by the Acting Director of the Caspian Branch of the IO RAS
Sergei Kotenkov at a meeting in honor of the expedition's launch