Russia to Send Three Missions to Mars

Russia released their plans to send three missions to mars within the next 8 years, the first of which, a mission to Phobos, is scheduled for 2009. The second will fly by, the third will be a rover which will land on the surface. There is also some resent about losing the space race, which I thought was interesting. When asked why the USSR lost the moon race, the article quotes some Russian space official as saying "we did not lose it, judging by the exploration’s results."