The announcer Viktor Balashov died. He was the first to report on the air of Gagarin's flight into space

The Russian announcer Viktor Balashov died, the Russia 24 TV channel reports .

Balashov was 96 years old. The causes of his death are not specified.

Viktor Balashov on April 12, 1961 on the body was the first to announce the flight into space of Yuri Gagarin. In 1975, he gave parting words to the astronauts of the Soviet-American station "Soyuz-Apollo".

Since 1944, Balashov worked as an announcer of the All -Union Radio, after which for almost 70 years on central television. In different years, Balashov conducted the programs “Time”, “Winners”, “Club of front -line friends”, “Lights” and others.