Russia's Soyuz TMA-M capsule landed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, ferrying three astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) safely back to Earth, space officials said.
The capsule, carrying Russian cosmonauts Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka and U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly - part of an ISS team known as Expedition 26 - touched down in heavy snow in central Kazakhstan at 07:54 GMT, mission control said.
The new-generation Soyuz craft undocked from the ISS on schedule at 04:27 GMT earlier on Wednesday.
The crew is reported to be in good shape after spending 159 days at the ISS, which included two spacewalks to upgrade the station.
Expedition 27 crewmembers under command of Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev stayed on and will be joined by three more crewmembers before they head back to Earth in May.
KOROLYOV (Moscow region), March 16 (RIA Novosti)
