Specialists of Russian Academy of Sciences’ Space Research Institute (IKI) intend to continue their cooperation with France, says Oleg Korablyov, head of the IKI planetary physics department and IKI deputy director on the ExoMars project.

"We will continue our scientific cooperation with the French regardless," Korablyov told TASS. "The political situation is destroying everything, but we will preserve the partnership where possible."

Previously, the media reported that France rejected plans to jointly develop an atmosphere survey instrument for a spacecraft that India plans to launch to Venus. Some components of the instrument were supposed to be French.

"We hope that everything will be accomplished with India and will not be canceled due to any reasons," Korablyov said. "We would also like to hope that this will happen rather promptly, that we will be able to produce the instruments and we will have a margin of time for everything."

The launch window is strictly limited. The Indian mission is planned for launch in December 2024, and it is supposed to enter the Venus orbit in 2025, when Earth and Venus will be close to each other and the travel will require minimum fuel. The next window of opportunity will come in seven years - in 2031.