President Tran Dai Quang has conveyed his deep sympathy to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the death of Russian Hero, astronaut Viktor Gorbatko who joined Vietnamese heroic spaceman Pham Tuan on a flight to the space in 1980.

Russian astronaut Viktor Gorbatko (R) and Vietnamese cosmonaut Pham Tuan returned to the Earth in the “Union-37” spaceship on July 23, 1980

In his message to the Russian President, which was read by Major General Tran Minh Son, head of the Vietnam Military Attaché Agency in Russia, at the funeral service for Gorbatko in Moscow on May 19, President Tran Dai Quang said that the passing away of Gorbatko is a great loss of both Russia and Vietnam.

The Party, State and people of Vietnam highly value contributions that Gorbatko made to the development of the Vietnam-former Soviet Union ties in the past and the Vietnam-Russia strategic partnership recently.

Astronaut Viktor Gorbatko passed away on May 17 at the age of 83 after an illness.

He was born on December 3, 1934 and grew up in Northern Caucasus of Russia. He flew to the space three times in 1969, 1977 and 1980. In his last flight on July 23, 1980, he was accompanied by first Vietnamese cosmonaut Pham Tuan in the “Union-37” spaceship that was launched from Baikonur and returned to the ​Earth on July 31, 1980.

The flight became a historical event of both countries, marking a new milestone in the growth of the traditional solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and the former Soviet Union and Russia now.

Gorbatko joined various friendship activities and visited Vietnam many times as a close friend of Vietnam. He was honoured with Vietnam’s Heroic Labour title and Ho Chi Minh Order.

VNA