Vlad Minnin has already made a name for himself in his native Russia.

A few years ago he travelled across the Alaskan wilderness on a snowmobile, a taxing journey to tackle alone. He’s now preparing a similar journey across his native country.

He will start his 10,000 mile voyage in Vladivostok in Eastern Russia and end it in Moscow. Along the way he will stop at 12 villages with supplies for children, that they would not normally have access to –  a task many international charities have undertaken, but Vlad plans to make this journey alone.

The project, which Vlad has named “10,000 Mileposts” has also attracted the support of major businesses in Russian cities. They have packed Vlad’s suitcase with school supplies for him to distribute on his journey.

Vlad's journey from Vladivostok to Moscow

‘I want to help these kids because they don’t have the simple things that kids have in cities’

‘They don’t want to work with laptops; they just need simple things. This is not easy for people who live far away from a road, from everything’

This is not just a chance to support the education for children in remote villages, it is also an opportunity to learn more about his native country.

The Deputy Head of The Russian Geographical Society, Artur Chilingarov has pledged his support to Vlad:

‘Russia is such a huge country and the more we know about our geography, the better. You are the kind of lecturer who goes off the beaten tracks. I believe it is very important and good luck’

Vlad with Artur Chilingarov, Deputy Head of the Russian Geographical Society

A great story that has elements of the intrepid character of The Wild Geese as well as their commitment to a cause. We wish Vlad luck on his journey.