So they claim, with regard to reaching Mars.

Russia is leading the race to complete a manned mission to Mars and could land a Russian on the Red Planet by 2025, a leading scientist was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

"We have something of a head start in this race as we have the most experience in piloted space flight," the director of the prestigious Space Research Institute, Lev Zelyony, told Interfax news agency on Tuesday.

The goal of becoming the first country to land a human on Mars is "technically and economically achievable" by 2025, he said.

However, if their portions of the International Space Station are any indication, I doubt this. Their components have been the source of most problems up there. I really doubt that the Russians will ever reach Mars -- unless they are planning on sending men to Mars in spacecraft held together with duct tape and baling wire.