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Putin congratulates Russians on Cosmonautics Day from Far East’s Vostochny spaceport

On April 12, 1961, Soviet officer Yury Gagarin performed the world’s first ever human space flight

VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME, April 12. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin who is on a working trip to the Vostochny spaceport in the Amur Region in Russia’s Far East congratulated space industry personnel and all citizens of Russia and Belarus on Cosmonautics Day celebrated on April 12.

"From the bottom of my heart, I congratulate all our citizens, citizens of Russia and Belarus, all our compatriots, cosmonauts and the personnel of the Vostochny cosmodrome, military space industry veterans and staff on this occasion," the Russian leader said.

More than six decades ago, on April 12, 1961, Soviet officer Yury Gagarin performed the world’s first ever human space flight. In memory of his achievement, Russia celebrates Cosmonautics Day, Putin specified.

"Each one of us is experiencing extraordinary feelings today: it’s genuine pride for generations that have accomplished this epic technological breakthrough and simultaneously faith in the future, in our power and in our progressive development. Confidence in that we will definitely achieve the goals that we have set. I am certain that this will be the case," the head of state emphasized.

Russia’s achievements in outer space

Russia’s achievements in solving defense tasks and developing peaceful space exploration technologies stem from the discoveries and successes by the greatest minds in human history: Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Sergey Korolyov, Valentin Glushko and other outstanding scientists and designers, and also from ‘the unprecedented work of employees from all over the Soviet Union" - workers and engineers, Putin pointed out.

"They worked for the country and fought for their Motherland at factories and design bureaus in the full sense of the word. And they won in a fierce and utterly tight race for leadership in outer space. They were the first to create an artificial satellite of the Earth, a manned spacecraft, a space station and launched autonomous missions to study the Moon and Mars," the Russian leader pointed out.

It was the Russian probe that touched down the fiery surface of Venus, Putin went on to say.

"No [other] state has been able to develop such a technical solution and many other technologies in the space and rocket sphere to date," the Russian leader emphasized.

Putin shares childhood memories of Gagarin’s flight

The Russian leader also shared his childhood recollections of Gagarin’s first space flight with the Vostochny spaceport’s staff.

As the head of state said, amazingly, he recalled the groundbreaking event of April 12, 1961. "Surprisingly, I remember that. I was a child, nine years old at that time. Frankly speaking, I did not understand what was happening in full but I saw that something grandiose and unusual had taken place when unfamiliar people hugged and kissed each other. This looked like Victory Day," Putin recollected.

As the Russian leader pointed out, for him as a child "it was clear that some extraordinary event had taken place." "Perhaps, I did not understand precisely what the first human spaceflight was. It was perfectly clear that some grandiose event linked with our country’s enormous achievements had taken place," the Russian president noted, adding that as a child he felt proud of the country and "it [pride] was in the air."

"This was such a truly bright event and I kept that in my memory. Of course, all this was broadcast by the media, on television and it impressed even children, to say nothing about adults who rejoiced. The country was jubilant in the direct meaning of this word. It can be said that the entire world was jubilant. I am confident that our country will see more events of this kind," the head of state said.