MOSCOW, April 10. /TASS/. The Khrunichev Center (part of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos) plans to complete the production of Proton-M heavy carrier rockets in 2025, Company CEO Alexey Varochko told TASS on Monday.

"The production of Proton-M carrier rockets proceeds in a planned manner. In accordance with the schedule, we are planning to finish the production of these launch vehicles in 2025," the chief executive said.

The Russian and Kazakh governments are now in talks on how to use Proton-M carrier rockets, if they are not launched until the expiry of their service life in Kazakhstan, he said.

"The proposals by the Khrunichev Center on resolving the issue of using all the manufactured Proton rockets is being considered jointly with the Kazakh side," the chief executive said.

The Khrunichev Center currently prioritizes the production of Angara next-generation launch vehicles, Varochko said.

On June 22, 2018, then-Roscosmos Chief Dmitry Rogozin announced the closure of the Proton project. On August 22 that year, Rogozin said at the Army international arms show that the operation of Proton-M carrier rockets would be completed in 2025. Khrunichev Center CEO Varochko unveiled plans last year to complete the production of Proton launch vehicles. He said that Russia would carry out subsequent launches of heavy spacecraft with the help of more environmentally-friendly Angara carrier rockets that used propellant based on kerosene compared to the toxic heptyl fuel used by Proton-M launch vehicles.