Russian cosmonaut Ivan Wagner plans to complete work on Path of the Ancestors, a three-part documentary tracking an ancient northern trade route, by 2027.
The first part of the project premiered on September 26 at the Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow. The film records an expedition conducted by kayak along an ancient water trade route running from Veliky Novgorod to the White Sea.
Wagner, a Hero of Russia and Roscosmos cosmonaut, told news agency TASS that the first part, titled Origins, was warmly received and earned positive feedback from viewers. This opening installment focused on the section of the voyage between Veliky Novgorod and Lake Ladoga.
Expedition Along Historic Waterways
The expedition took place between July 26 and August 28, 2025, covering a total distance of 1,525 kilometres across rivers, lakes and historical portages. The team travelled from the Volkhov River through Lake Ladoga, the Svir River, Lake Onega, the Vodla River, the Chereva River, the Kensk Tract, Lake Volotskoye, the Volosheva River, the Pocha River, Kenozero, the Kena River, the Onega River, the Yemetsky Volok portage, the Yemtsa River and the Severnaya Dvina River, ending at the White Sea.
The documentary was directed and filmed by Anton Klapyshev, who travelled alongside the team by car, boat and on foot to capture footage. Wagner was accompanied on the journey by his brother, traveler and extreme sports enthusiast Dmitry Barabanov, who oversaw organization, partner relations, equipment search and media management.
The Russian North is a historic region encompassing expansive forests, complex river systems and Arctic coastal access that supported early trade routes. Veliky Novgorod, one of Russia's oldest cities, functioned as a major commercial center connecting Baltic trade to northern regions. Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega are Europe's two largest freshwater bodies, while the White Sea is an inlet of the Arctic Ocean located on the north-western coast of Russia.
Preparation in Orbit and Recovery
Wagner began planning the expedition during his second space mission aboard the International Space Station, which took place from September 11, 2024 to April 20, 2025. During off-duty time in orbit, the cosmonaut examined historical documents and planned the navigation path, noting that spaceflight experience assisted in designing an optimal route.
Departing on the expedition only three months after returning from orbit required physical preparation. Spaceflight in microgravity causes muscle atrophy, particularly in core muscles, because the body does not work against gravity. Wagner stated that building muscle strength was critical prior to the trip, which required sitting and rowing for eight to ten hours every day.
Wagner noted that cosmonauts rarely have the opportunity to balance such projects with primary flight duties. The expedition fit into his schedule because it occurred while he was on leave following his orbit return. Production on the remaining two parts of the documentary is scheduled to finish before the end of 2027.
