In pictures: Return to Mir

A Soyuz rocket has blasted off from the Baikonur Space Centre in Kazakhstan, carrying two Russian cosmonauts to the Mir space station.

It is the first manned mission to Mir since August, when Russia decided to leave the station empty because of financial problems.

After months of delay, the Soyuz rocket blasts off a launch pad carrying two cosmonauts

The spacecraft is expected to dock with Mir on Thursday and the crew's main task will be to locate an air leak

Russian cosmonaut Sergei Zalyotin waves from the launch pad moments before the blast off

Two Russian personnel help Sergei Zalyotin to stand up at Baikonur Cosmodrome

Old and new: Engineers at Baikonur use a diesel engine to tow the booster

The Soyuz PM-30 spacecraft stands in a huge hangar before the operation to move it into position on Sunday