Russia Putin dismisses head of Russian space agency
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has surprisingly dismissed the head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov. Dmitry Bakanov has been appointed as the new Director General of Roskosmos, according to a decree by Putin published on the Kremlin's website.
06.02.2025, 10:09
SDA
The 39-year-old had previously worked as a deputy minister in the Ministry of Transport, specializing in innovation. The reasons for the change of leadership at the space organization were not officially stated.
Borissov took over the post from Dmitry Rogozin in July 2022, a few months after the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Roskosmos also has military significance for Russia, providing the armed forces with satellite images for frontline reconnaissance, for example. Prior to his appointment at Roskosmos, Borissov was responsible for the defense sector as deputy head of government.
According to the Russian internet portal RBK, the current dismissal took place against the backdrop of a dispute over the construction of a national space center in Moscow. RBK reported that there had been problems with the rising costs and lack of clarity regarding the implementation.
