A Russian has won a trip to space with Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
Businessman Vasily Klyukin paid 1.2 million euros ($1.5 million) for the flight at a glitzy charity auction on the sidelines of the 66th Cannes film festival on Thursday night.
Klyukin also bought a gold and diamond necklace for 400,000 euros. The proceeds will go to amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.
Klyukin, 37, who lives in Monaco, said he had always wanted to go into space.
"I want to be a bit daring," Klyukin, who works in real estate, told Reuters. Further details about the businessman weren't immediately available. "I will have to give up smoking now for sure!" he said.
Klyukin will spend three days training with DiCaprio before blasting off on a Virgin Galactic spacecraft from a launching site in New Mexico, actress Sharon Stone said.
Two other tickets for the flight raised an additional 1.8 million euros, she said.
Klyukin wasn't the only Russian to triumph at Cannes. On Friday, St. Petersburg-born director Darya Belova won the Discovery Prize for her short film "Come and Play," about a Russian-German boy in Berlin.
Cannes, the world's largest film festival, wraps up on Sunday.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
