It’s already the largest country in the world, but Russia just got even bigger - thanks to global warming.
Melting glaciers have uncovered five new islands in the Franz Josef Land archipelago.
The new islands were first spotted in satellite images taken by the Navy back in 2016, but have only been confirmed and mapped now.
Aleksander Moiseyev, expedition leader, said: “Basically, this [the emergence of new islands] is associated with the melting of ice.
“Previously it was glaciers, but the melting of ice led to the islands opening. Now it is expected that the findings will be recorded. Of course, each island will have its own name, but it must first be substantiated.”
The islands range in size from 900 square metres to 54,500 square metres, and are located in the Arctic Ocean off the northwest coast of the Russian mainland.
To verify the photos taken by satellites by in 2016, researchers launched an expedition to the islands in mid-August.
A team of 60 people visited the islands, including scientists from the Russian Geographical Society, and representatives of the Russian Arctic national park.
A report by TASS explained: “The participants conducted scientific and environmental studies, studied the objects of the military infrastructure of the Soviet period and the traces of the expeditions of past centuries.
“In particular, they conducted a number of unique experiments in the Arctic, including sending letters in bottles and creating a product warehouse for long-term storage, which should be open after 50 years.”
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