The author examines the mean annual numerical values of the heat budget of the ice surface, the atmosphere and the ice surface‐atmosphere system at the Soviet Antarctic stations of Mirny and Vostok. The structure of the heat budget at the stations is discussed. The main source of heat energy at the edge of the ice sheet is found to be the heat from the crystallization of moisture in the atmosphere, and in the central portion of the ice sheet, the advection of heat from the ocean. The common cause of heat loss from both ice surface and atmosphere in the two regions is longwave radiation.