Three Russian cosmonauts currently on a mission at the International Space Station (ISS) took part on Monday in the all-Russia census.

Fyodor Yurchikhin, Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka answered questions for the census collectors during a linkup with the Mission Control Center outside Moscow.

The three cosmonauts defined their nationality as "Russian" although Yurchikhin has Greek roots. All of them said they had graduated from universities, speak English and are married.

Yurchikhin is taking part in the census for the second time in space. During the previous census held in 2002, Russia became the first country to poll cosmonauts in orbit.

The current all-Russia census, the second since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, is being held between October 14 and 25. Its cost is estimated at some 17 billion rubles ($557.62 million).

MISSION CONTROL, October 18 (RIA Novosti)