Vilkitsky Andrey Ippolitovich 
(01.(13).07.1858–26.02.(11.03).1913)

An outstanding hydrograph, geodesist, explorer of the Arctic.  B.A.Vilkitsky's father. 
Born in Saratov, in a military family, hereditary nobleman of Minsk province. He graduated from the Marine Corps and in 1880, according to the first category, the Naval Academy, trained for three years in practical astronomy at the Pulkovo Observatory. Before Vilkitsky opened up broad prospects for research and teaching, but he chose to work at sea. In 1882–1885 as a midshipman and lieutenant, he was the head of a hydrographic expedition that surveyed Lake Onega, from 1887 for 20 years engaged in Arctic hydrographic research: on Novaya Zemlya, in the Pechora Sea, Ob Bay and the Yenisei Bay of the Kara Sea. Vilkitsky was the first in the Russian sector of the Arctic to work on determining the acceleration of gravity. For these studies in 1887, he was awarded a small gold medal from the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, and in 1891 - a medal of Count F.P. Litke. In 1898–1901 in the rank of colonel, he was the commander of a hydrographic expedition of the Arctic Ocean that explored the southern parts of the Barents Sea and Kara Sea in the area from the mouth of the Pechora to the Yenisei Bay, including the  Ugra Shar Strait.

After the tragic end of the Russian-Japanese war, the government finally paid attention to the sea route along the northern coast of Russia. A commission was set up to develop a project for the development of the Northern Sea Route. Vilkitsky headed its.

In 1907, in the rank of Major General, he was appointed head of the State University and held this position until the end of his life, making an enormous contribution to the development of hydrographic research, including and arctic. Of great importance for the Russian fleet was its organizational work to ensure the safety of navigation: the construction of lighthouses and signs, the publication of new maps, the establishment of the Special Corps of hydrographs. When organizing research and expeditions, Vilkitsky always put Russia’s economic needs at the forefront. He was an opponent of the allocation of state funds for the expedition G.Ya. Sedov.

The invaluable merit of the head of the Main Hydrographic Department Vilkitsky is the organization of a hydrographic expedition on the icebreaking vessels Taimyr and Vaigach, famous for the discovery of Severnaya Zemlya and the passage through the Northern Sea Route from east to west. 
Vilkitsky's merits were awarded the orders of St. Stanislav 1 , 2 and 3 degrees, St. Vladimir 3 and 4 degrees, St. Anna 3 degrees, the French Order of the Legion of Honor of the Commander's Cross.

In 1913, Vilkitsky was enrolled in the hydrographic corps with the title of hydrographic surveyor, promoted to full generals of the hydrographic corps, and dismissed due to illness. Soon he died suddenly in Petersburg and was buried in the Smolensk Orthodox cemetery along with his younger son: two granite crosses on pedestals. 
Islands in the northwestern part of the archipelago of Nordensheld. Named in 1901 by the Russian Polar Expedition of E.V. Toll in 1899–1903. 
An island in the De Long archipelago in the East Siberian Sea. It was opened on August 20, 1913, by the hydrographic expedition of the Arctic Ocean 1910–1915 on the icebreakers "Taimyr" and "Vaigach" and named on 10 (23) January 1914 by order of the Minister of the Navy. 
An island in the north-west of the Yenisei Bay. Opened in 1874 by I. Wiggins on the steamer "Diana". Named by the resolution of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society of February 17, 1896. 
Cape, bay, mountain and glacier on the west coast of the northern island of Novaya Zemlya. The cape named in 1913 G.Ya. Sedov Bay and Glacier - V.A. Rusanov in 1910. 
Cape in Chekina Bay on the east coast of the northern island of Novaya Zemlya. Named by artist A.A. Borisov in 1901.

Banks in the Ob Bay.