Russia is ready to help Uzbekistan take a historic leap into space by supporting the training and launch of its first national cosmonaut - as well as the development of its first satellite.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said that Moscow sees strong potential in expanding space cooperation and is prepared to share its expertise to bring these ambitions to life, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

The initiative follows a directive from Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who earlier outlined plans to train a national astronaut and advance the country’s space program, including launching its own satellite.

Manturov noted that Russia is already in talks with several CIS nations, as well as partners across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, on astronaut training and satellite technologies - ranging from communications systems to Earth remote sensing.