Russia and Ukraine plan to continue joint commercial space launches despite aggravated relations between the two countries, Russian space agency Roscosmos said Wednesday.

Roscosmos deputy chief Sergei Ponomaryov said Russia would launch a Dnepr rocket carrying a cluster of 30 micro-satellites on June 19, with Ukraine's Yuzhmash enterprise engaging in the ongoing rocket construction.

"The launch will take place as scheduled, there are no delays," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted him as saying.

Still, he said, the Russian side was ready for "any developments."

Ponomaryov said the Makeev rocket design bureau was a possible substitute for the Dnepropetrovsk-based Yuzhmash. Currently, Makeev bureau designs submarine-based ballistic missiles.

Yuzhmash also produces the silo-based Voyevoda (SS-18, or Satan in NATO classification) inter-continental ballistic missiles capable of carrying an eight-piece nuclear warhead.

Source: Xinhua News Agency