Russian space officials say three astronauts from the International Space Station have touched down on the chilly steppes of Kazakhstan in a Russian Soyuz capsule.

Japan's Akihiko Hoshide, Russia's Yury Malenchenko and Sunita Williams of the U.S. landed Monday, a few kilometers off their intended touchdown site.

Another three astronauts remain onboard the space station.

The Soyuz is the only means of transportation for international astronauts to reach the ISS since the decommissioning of the U.S. shuttle fleet last year.