The successful launch of the Soyuz from the Baikonur cosmodrome on March 22 represented the successful repair of that launch pad from the accident last December which threatened to cripple Soyuz launches to the ISS from that space station. The incident promoted all sorts of dire predictions about Russia’s problems in space in the Western media.
Then on March 27, Deputy Director General for Manned Space Programs Sergei Krikalev announced that the first flight of a new advanced transport spacecraft would be launched in 2028, which would replace the Soyuz for delivering people and cargo to near-Earth orbit. Krikalev also indicated that discussions with the United States were ongoing related to the continuation of the ISS. Russia is committed to continuing collaboration with the United States on the ISS through 2028, when they will begin deployment of their own space station. United States remains committed to the ISS until 2030, and will maintain key components of the station even after that, perhaps in higher orbit
On March 28, Roscosmos CEO Dmitrii Badanov announced that a third launch pad was to be built in 2026 at the new Vostochny Space Station in Russia’s Far East, which would be primarily used for smaller rockets which would deliver satellites to near-Earth orbit. Bakanov clarified that the new launch complex will be used to launch converted rockets based on the Topol intercontinental ballistic missile. These are planned to be used to launch satellites weighing up to 500 kg into orbit at an altitude of up to 500 km.