Former chief of Russian space agency to head annexed territories of Ukraine
After the "referendums" in the occupied territories of Ukraine, a new federal district will be created in Russia - "Crimean". It is expected to include Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, reports the newspaper Vedomosti, citing sources close to the Kremlin.
According to the newspaper, the former director of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, will be appointed as head of the new federal territory. According to one of the interlocutors of the newspaper, the decision on Rogozin will be made soon, and it is likely to be positive. The source explained the need to create a new federal district by the "difficult situation" that has developed around the "referendums": "A political heavyweight is needed to manage them."
The fact that Rogozin can "head" the occupied territories became known in mid-July, immediately after his dismissal from Roscosmos. Another option that was considered for himwas a position in Presidential Administration.
Rogozin served as the general director of Roscosmos for four years (since 2018). During this time, his department has been criticized for failure to develop new space rockets launchers, the excessive "bloating" the staff, the organizational crisis of the entire space industry in Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to announce the creation of the new federal district in his address to the deputies of the Russian parliament, which is scheduled for September 30.