A wreath-laying ceremony took place at the Russian House in Ashgabat, where a bust of Yuri Gagarin stands. The event was held to mark Cosmonautics Day, according to the publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’.

The ceremony was attended by diplomats, representatives of civil society, scientists and schoolchildren. Ivan Volynkin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Turkmenistan, highlighted the significance of the 65th anniversary of the first human spaceflight. According to him, this event gave impetus to the development of global science.

The Ambassador also spoke about the prospects for cooperation between Russia and Turkmenistan in the space sector. This involves projects in the fields of satellites, navigation technologies and scientific research. The training of a Turkmen cosmonaut is not ruled out, provided there is interest from the country. Special mention was made of Oleg Kononenko, a native of Turkmenabat and Hero of Turkmenistan and Russia, who is the head of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. His next flight is scheduled for the autumn. The cosmonaut holds the world record for the longest stay in orbit – 1,110 days.

During the event, the participants’ attention was drawn to a schoolboy who had come dressed in a homemade cosmonaut’s suit.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the participants laid flowers at the bust of Yuri Gagarin.