Russian attempts to reach the North Pole or navigate the Northeast Passage were just as daring and dramatic as the expeditions that took place at the same time, on the other side of the North Pole. Many ships and many men did not return to tell their tales. The fate of some expeditions is unknown even to this day. This book tells the stories of four such Russian expeditions that took place from 1910 to 1915. Three of them had a tragic outcome and their leaders: Vladimir Rusanov, Georgy Brusilov and Georgy Sedov, became an important part of Russian history and folklore. The fourth expedition, The Russian Arctic Ocean Hydrographic Expedition, became the first Russian expedition to navigate the elusive Northeast Passage. The book is illustrated with maps and the largest collection of original photos from these expeditions ever gathered.