In the small village of Batky, amidst the tranquil landscapes of Poltava, there is a place that connects Ukraine with the distant icy expanses of Antarctica—the Monument to Anton Lukych Omelchenko.
This monument is dedicated to Anton Lukych Omelchenko—a man whose life story is both striking and inspiring. Born into an ordinary peasant family, he worked with horses from childhood, never suspecting that this skill would one day take him to the ends of the earth. It was thanks to his skills that he became a member of Robert Scott’s legendary expedition to Antarctica.
Thus, a Ukrainian from Poltava became one of the first to set foot on this distant and harsh continent. Upon his return, his contribution was honored with a special medal, and his name was forever etched into the world’s geography—a bay and rocky formations in Antarctica were named in Omelchenko’s honor.
In his native village, the memory of him lives on with particular warmth. Near the village council, a symbolic sculptural composition titled “Antarctica” has been erected, created from stone brought from the icy continent. This is not just a monument—it is a bridge between two worlds: the quiet Ukrainian land and the boundless ice of the South.
The story of the Omelchenko family continues: his grandson also became a polar explorer and participated in Ukrainian expeditions to the Akademik Vernadsky Station.
This place serves as a reminder: great discoveries begin in small villages.
And even from the most remote corner of Ukraine, one can reach the edge of the world.