Soviet Antarctic Expedition

The Soviet Antarctic Expedition (SAE or SovAE) (Russian: Советская антарктическая экспедиция, САЭ, Sovetskaya antarkticheskaya ekspeditsiya) was part of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute of the Soviet Committee on Antarctic Research of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

The Soviet Union's Ministry of Sea Transport was responsible for the administration, logistics and supply of the expeditions.

The first Soviet Antarctic station, Mirny, was established near the coast on February 13, 1956.

In December 1957 another station, Vostok, was built inland near the South geomagnetic pole.

The Soviet Union engaged in expeditions to Antarctica from 1955 to its dissolution.