It is located to the west-northwest of the huge walled plain Mendeleev, on the far side of the Moon.

This crater is heavily worn and eroded, and little remains of the original outer rim.

The remainder of the crater interior is marked by various small craterlets and minor impacts, and there is little to distinguish this feature from the surrounding battered terrain.

The crater is named after the Russian physicist and engineer Vladimir Vetchinkin.

[2] By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Vetchinkin.