A Russian military-transport aircraft had started delivering consignments for a new base near the North Pole, the Northern Fleet press service said Tuesday.

"A Russian Air Force Il-76 is delivering the first of three consignments for the Barneo-2013 station and a team of paratroopers, who will start work equipping the station and to prepare a runway for the planes," the Northern Fleet's press officer Eugeny Kirillov told local media.

Kitillov said the 50-ton consignment, including an electric power generator, food, two tractors and other equipment, would be parachuted from a low altitude.

Russia has sustained a temporary Barneo near-Pole base during summer since 2000, serving scientific and tourism roles and needed to be rebuilt each year.

The Barneo project was sponsored mainly by the Russian Geographical Society, head of the Barneo international department Margarita Tersitskaya told Xinhua, adding it received additional funding from commercial activities such as tourist trips to the North Pole via the base.