 This was part of the ongoing 2007 Russian North Pole expedition within the program of the 2007–2008 International Polar Year.The expedition aimed to establish that the eastern section of seabed passing close to the Pole, known as the Lomonosov and Mendeleyev Ridges, is in fact an extension of Russia's landmass.The expedition came as several countries are trying to extend their rights over sections of the Arctic Ocean floor.