L’Russian space agency Roscosmos is changing hands. Dmitri Rogozin was sacked by Vladimir Putin on Friday July 15, but will be appointed to a new post. This close friend of the Russian president is known for his abrasive style and outrageous nationalism. He will be replaced by Yuri Borissov, who until then had the portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Russian military-industrial complex which also includes the space sector.
Yuri Borissov had replaced Dmitry Rogozin in this position when the latter arrived at the head of Roscosmos in 2018. In this position, Dmitry Rogozin stood out from the dull universe of Russian bureaucrats with memes published on Twitter or rowdy and provocative tirades on Telegram. In five years in this position, however, he has not managed to stem the decline of the Russian space industry, undermined by obsolescence, lack of innovation and corruption.
Shortly after the decree was issued, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the TASS news agency that the appointment would come “when the time comes”. Dmitry Peskov did not give further details but assured that Dmitry Rogozin’s departure from Roscosmos was not due to Kremlin dissatisfaction with his work.
A loss of influence in space
In 2020, Russia thus lost the monopoly of sending into space with its aging but reliable Soyuz launchers and vessels with the arrival on the scene of SpaceX of the billionaire Elon Musk. Since the Russian offensive against Ukraine on February 24, Yuri Rogozin, who was also Russian ambassador to NATO, has distinguished himself by his belligerent declarations towards the West, praising the destruction that could be inflicted Russian nuclear weapons.
READ ALSOSpace at the bedside of the Earth
Russian-Western cooperation in the space field has also been weighed down by this assault by Russia against its neighbor. His replacement comes from the ranks of the military. This change comes against a backdrop of ever-increasing Russian-Western tensions. Russians and Americans accuse each other of military ambitions in space.
READ ALSOBiden’s “gifts” to Europeans
In November 2021, Russia admitted to having carried out a test shot against one of its old satellites in orbit, after being accused by Washington of having by such a shot endangered the crew of the International Space Station. (ISS). “Roscosmos enterprises are completing work on modernizing the basis of our sovereignty and security, that is, our strategic nuclear forces and their combat command and control systems,” Dmitry Rogozin said. to the Ria Novosti news agency on Friday, as a review.
READ ALSOAndrei Kurkov: “France and Germany are too weak with Putin”
Western sanctions against Russia partly affect the Russian aerospace industry and risk having effects on the ISS, some supplies of which could be disrupted. Also on Friday, the United States and Russia nevertheless announced as planned to resume their joint flights to the ISS, confirming the continuation of their cooperation in the space sector, one of the last in which these two countries maintain a link.