A space greeting to his fellow countrymen: Sergei Ryzhikov supported the opening of the National Centre RUSSIA branch in Yugra
The Commander of the International Space Station and
Roscosmos cosmonaut, Sergei Ryzhikov, addressed the residents of the Khanty-Mansi
Autonomous Area on the occasion of the opening of the National Centre RUSSIA
branch in Yugra. The video greeting was recorded on board the Russian segment
of the International Space Station — a symbol of peaceful cooperation and
humanity’s pursuit of new knowledge — at an altitude of 400 km above the Earth.
Sergei Ryzhikov spent his
childhood in the city of Nizhnevartovsk, which makes his participation in this
event particularly meaningful and personal.
"It is here that you can appreciate the vastness of our country and the beauty of Siberia. And, above all, see the hardworking and warm-hearted people who, through their daily efforts, contribute to the wealth of our Motherland," said Sergei Ryzhikov in his message.
The
cosmonaut noted that every visitor to the new branch would be able to gain a
deeper understanding of the history, nature and people of Yugra — a region that
has made an invaluable contribution to the development of the country. He
invited everyone to visit the exposition to discover "what makes this
place so unique". He wished the National Centre RUSSIA branch in Yugra
every success from the bottom of his heart.
Sergei
Nikolayevich Ryzhikov is a test cosmonaut of the Roscosmos corps and a Hero of
the Russian Federation. Born in Bugulma (Tatarstan), he spent his childhood and
youth in Nizhnevartovsk, which he considers his second homeland. He has
completed three space flights and, since 5 August 2025, has served as Commander
of the International Space Station.
The opening
of National Centre RUSSIA branches across the regions is being implemented by order of President of Russia Vladimir Putin in order to showcase the country’s
achievements, strengthen national identity, foster a sense of pride in the
nation, develop children’s and young people’s professional skills, and preserve
the legacy of the International RUSSIA EXPO.
The
National Centre RUSSIA branch in Yugra will enable residents and visitors to
explore, in an interactive format, the rich legacy and contemporary potential
of the country’s oil and gas heartland.
Participants of the first intake of this new educational project, who successfully passed the competitive selection process, shared their stories of discovering the School and their fresh impressions from the classes.
The date was chosen for a reason: it was on 2 March 2018 that the decree establishing the "For Mentorship" award was signed.
