Athletes from the Military Institute of Physical Culture and Moscow Technological University will go on a ski expedition toward the North Pole from April 5 to 14, the Interfax news agency reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. They will test cutting-edge power stations and drones during the expedition.

"Military athletes will use the 10 day passage to the North Pole and back to the Barneo base to test the results of a study on military fitness training in the conditions of the Arctic and the Far North," a Defense Ministry statement reads.

"At Barneo, the team will test drones that will support similar expeditions in the future, as well as power stations running on low-temperature hydrogen fuel cells," the statement said.

According to the Interfax agency, the 25 member team will be flown to Barneo aboard a military plane from the Nagurksoye airfield, which is located on Alexandra Land of the Franz Josef Land Archipelago.