Klimuk: Belarusian cosmonaut’s space flight took place thanks to Lukashenko, Putin

ZVYOZDNY GORODOK, 15 May (BelTA) - The space flight of the representative of sovereign Belarus Marina Vasilevskaya took place thanks to Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Belarusian-born twice Hero of the Soviet Union pilot-cosmonaut Pyotr Klimuk told the media, BelTA has learned.

“It is very important that we have the Union State, that the presidents of Belarus and Russia have very good relations. Indeed, Marina Vasilevskaya's flight into space was made thanks to the two presidents,” Pyotr Klimuk said.

“Marina [Vasilevskaya] is an amazing person. She didn't train for too long, but the flight was quite successful. It is also important that the second Belarusian took part in the flight. A Russian national, yet Belarus-born [Oleg Novitsky],” Pyotr Klimuk said.

He also believes that the citizens of Belarus should be trained at Roscosmos’ Cosmonaut Training Center on an equal footing with the Russians. “It depends on the presidents,” Pyotr Klimuk said.

The crew of Visiting Expedition 21 to the International Space Station were honored in Zvyozdny Gorodok on 15 May. Hero of Belarus Marina Vasilevskaya and Hero of Russia Oleg Novitsky laid wreaths at the monument to the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Then the cosmonauts attended a ceremony in the House of Cosmonauts and took part in an autograph session.