"There is nothing more beautiful on Earth than the Motherland": Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov at the RUSSIA EXPO

Sevastopol native, Hero of the Russian Federation, test cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov met with the guests of the RUSSIA EXPO. He said that he flew around the Earth almost 12 thousand times - and in his opinion, there is nothing more beautiful on the planet than the Motherland.

"My fellow countrymen, be proud that you were born in Sevastopol, in Crimea - there is no better place on Earth", — Anton Shkaplerov noted.

He confessed that he had dreamed of becoming a cosmonaut since childhood — at that time the stories about space conquerors were printed on the front pages of all newspapers and magazines. According to him, it was inspiring.

During the meeting, which was arranged by the Russian Society "Knowledge", Anton Shkaplerov also told whether it was difficult to pass the tests for selection to the cosmonaut team and about his feelings before his first flight into space. The cosmonaut also answered the questions of the RUSSIA EXPO guests.

Photo: Alexey Mayshev/RIA News

"When we entered the Earth's orbit, I unbuckled from my chair and flew to the porthole. It was dawn. The Earth surprised me with its size and beauty. No picture, no video conveys what we see with our own eyes. At that moment I was proud of myself for being true to my dream. I was also proud that I, a representative of the greatest and largest country on Earth, was here in space. It was pleasant and exciting", — said Anton Shkaplerov.

Let us remind you that Anton Shkaplerov participated in the shooting of the spectacular movie The Challenge, where he piloted the Soyuz MS-19, which delivered actress Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko to the ISS. And in the summer of 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree awarding Anton Shkaplerov with the Order of Gagarin.