The objective
Launched in August 2023, Luna-25 was intended to reach the lunar surface in a southern region. It was Russia’s first lunar mission since the Soviet Luna programme ended in the 1970s.
Loss of the spacecraft
A problem occurred during the orbital phase before landing and the vehicle struck the lunar surface on 19 August 2023. NASA classifies the mission as unsuccessful.
The European context
In April 2022 ESA had decided to discontinue cooperation with Russia on Luna-25, Luna-26 and Luna-27. A few days after Luna-25 was lost, Chandrayaan-3 made a soft landing at southern lunar high latitudes.