Vladimir Putin is plotting daring missions as the battle for space supremacy continues. Kremlin deputy premier Denis Manturov today revealed his boss’ lofty ambitions for the Russian space programme . He said: “Research missions to the Moon and Venus currently occupy a central place in the plans of [space agency] Roscosmos and the Russian Academy of Sciences for studying other celestial bodies. “Back in 1970, our country succeeded in successfully landing a spacecraft on another planet in the