In a surprise move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Yury Borisov as head of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos.
According to a decree published on Thursday on the Kremlin’s website, Dmitry Bakanov has been appointed as the new director general of Roscosmos. The 39-year-old previously served as a deputy minister in the Ministry of Transport, focusing on innovation.
No official reason was given for the leadership change.
Borisov took over the post from Dmitry Rogozin in July 2022, a few months after the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Roscosmos also has military significance for Russia, providing the armed forces with satellite images for front-line reconnaissance, for example.
Prior to his appointment at Roscosmos, Borisov was deputy prime minister responsible for the defence sector.
According to the Russian news portal RBK, Borisov’s dismissal is linked to a dispute over the construction of a national space centre in Moscow, with rising costs and uncertainties about project execution reportedly causing tensions.
