The high-latitude polar expedition of the newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda” was a remarkable feat of exploration and journalism that took place in 1970. It was organized by the Central Committee of the Komsomol, the communist youth league, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding. The expedition consisted of 12 young people, aged 18 to 28, who were selected from thousands of applicants. They were accompanied by experienced polar explorers, scientists, and journalists from the newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda”.

The expedition started from Leningrad on April 4, 1970, and flew to Murmansk, where they boarded the icebreaker “Arktika”. They then sailed to the North Pole, where they landed on April 19. They spent three days at the pole, conducting scientific experiments, planting a flag, and sending radio messages to Moscow and other cities. They also celebrated the birthday of Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the Soviet state, who was born on April 22.

The expedition then continued to Greenland, where they visited a Danish polar station and met with local Inuit people. They learned about their culture, traditions, and way of life. They also exchanged gifts and souvenirs. The expedition then flew to Canada, where they visited Montreal and Ottawa. They met with Canadian officials, journalists, and students. They also participated in various cultural and sports events.

The expedition returned to Moscow on May 9, 1970, coinciding with the Victory Day celebration of the end of World War II. They were greeted by a huge crowd of people and received a warm welcome from the Soviet leaders. They also received medals and awards for their achievements. The expedition was widely covered by the Soviet media and became a source of inspiration for many young people.

The postage stamp that you sent me is a commemorative issue that was released in 1970 to honor the high-latitude polar expedition of the newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda”. It depicts a stylized image of a mountain with a red flag on top, symbolizing the conquest of the pole. The foreground shows a group of people in red and blue clothing, holding hands and dancing in a circle, representing the friendship and solidarity of the expedition members and the peoples they met along the way. The text on the stamp is in Russian and reads “50 years of the Komsomol. High-altitude polar expedition. Komsomolskaya Pravda”. The stamp has a postmark on it, which is a circular stamp with the text “Soviet Union, Leningrad, 1970”. This indicates that the stamp was used in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), one of the largest cities in the Soviet Union and the starting point of the expedition.