Russia's space chief Borisov dismissed amid program failures
Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Yury Borisov as CEO of the state space corporation Roscosmos, the Kremlin's official website announced on Feb. 6.
Borisov's removal allegedly stems from uncertainty over the costs and implementation of the National Space Center project in Moscow, according to Russian media outlet RBC.
Borisov was appointed as Roscosmos chief in July 2022, succeeding Dmitry Rogozin. His tenure saw a decline in launches, with 19 in 2023 — three fewer than in 2022. Launches fell by 25% from pre-war 2021 and nearly halved compared to the early 2000s.
Before leading Roscosmos, Borisov played a key role in Russia's military-industrial sector, overseeing the state rearmament program since 2011.
As deputy chairman of the Military Industrial Commission, then-deputy defense minister, and later deputy prime minister, he was responsible for funneling 2 trillion rubles ($20.5 billion) annually into the defense industry.
Under his leadership, Russia had pledged to produce divisions of new Armata tanks, a next-generation strategic bomber, 600 aircraft, and thousands of helicopters by 2020, while increasing the share of modern weapons in the military to 70%.
The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 exposed shortcomings in Russia's defense industry, with its forces relying heavily on aging Soviet-era equipment.
Borisov also admitted that Roscosmos had failed to meet its 2023 state launch plan, adding to concerns over Russia's declining space capabilities amid economic strain and Western sanctions.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
