(Reuters) – Russia is planning to launch a lunar probe in the second half of this year, and will also deepen its cooperation with Belarus regarding space infrastructure and technology.

At a meeting in Moscow with Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian leader, Putin spoke of Soviet space successes and stated that no sanctions could stop Russia from progressing.

Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine to “denazify and demilitarize the country prompted a torrent of Western sanctions, including restrictions on cooperation and scientific funding.

Putin stated that Russia will develop new spaceships and other technologies to harness nuclear energy from space.

He said that Luna-25 would be launched to the Moon in the third Quarter of the year.

Russia will work with Belarus to build infrastructure to ensure their independent access to space. Putin also said that Russia had asked Roskosmos (Russia’s space agency) to prepare a Belarusian to fly on a Russian craft.