The Russian space agency is changing hands. Coming from the ranks of the military, Iouri Borissov, 65, was appointed head of Roscosmos by Vladimir Putin. He replaces Dmitri Rogozin, a colorful character with very nationalist views, presented as close to the president, who had been in charge since 2018.
On the Roscosmos website, the section “ songs from space suddenly disappeared, as noted by the online newspaper gazeta.ru. You could listen to patriotic songs written by Dmitry Rogozin himself. But neither his talents as a songwriter nor his provocative messages on social networks will have been enough to give a new image to the Russian space agency.
In five years, its boss has failed to breathe new life into an aging space industry, lacking in innovation and undermined by corruption. In 2020, Russia even lost the monopoly of sending into space with its Soyuz launchers and ships with SpaceX’s arrival on stage of billionaire Elon Musk.
Towards a promotion?
But after this dismissal, Dmitri Rogozin, who multiplies bellicose statements against the West, praising the destruction that Russian nuclear weapons could inflict, should not disappear from the Russian public scene. He could even be promoted to a position in the Kremlin.
While waiting for his appointment, rumors are rife. According to sources cited by the online newspaper Meduza, he is expected to head the presidential administration or become the Kremlin’s representative for the Ukrainian territories occupied by the Russian army.
►Also read: Two Russian cosmonauts unfurl a Soviet flag during an exit from the ISS