Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia will send a mission to Mars in 2019. He made the statement in a documentary by reporter Andrey Kondrashov.
“We shall carry out unmanned and later crewed spaceflights for further studying of the space, a Moon program, and then research on Mars,” Putin said.
According to him, the Moon research will differ from the Soviet programs: experts will try to land on Moon poles, as water can be found there. From the Moon, studying of other planets may start.