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Putin fires Roscosmos boss

July 18, 2022

By Chris Forrester

Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia’s Roscosmos space agency has been fired. The Kremlin issued a decree on July 15th saying his position had been terminated, effective immediately.

Rogozin’s replacement is Yuri Borisov, a former deputy prime minister whohas followed a very similar path to Roscosmos as Rogozin with his demotion. Both men served as deputy prime ministers over Russia’s space and defense industry before being moved to Roscosmos. Rogozin has been in post since 2018. The Kremlin announcement was softened somewhat by its closing statement that he would get a new job “in due time”.

The formal announcement came days after Rogozin, evidently upset about the European Space Agency’s decision to terminate cooperation with Russia on the ExoMars scientific mission, said he would forbid use of a European robotic arm on the Russian Nauka module on the International Space Station (ISS).

Rogozin’s departure brings to an end a career best described as ‘colourful’. He directly worked with the leaders of other international space agencies, including NASA and others involved in the ISS including Europe’s Space Agency and similar organisations in Canada, and Japan. Since the invasion of Ukraine, Rogozin has been increasingly vocal and made numerous threats about Russian participation in the ISS. His comments are seen as having damaged working relations with the West.

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