Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said on Thursday he hoped the United States would be understanding about a malfunction that occurred during a launch of the "Soyuz" spacecraft.

He was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency that manned space flights would be suspended until an investigation into the causes of the malfunction is completed.

"Soyuz" made an emergency landing near the city of Zhezkazgan in central Kazakhstan after its booster rockets failed in mid-air en route to the International Space Station. It had a Russian cosmonaut and a US astronaut on board.

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