Investigators have been brought in to look into alleged misuse of federal funding, following a high-profile public row between the Russian space agency and a manufacturing subsidiary, Izvestia daily reported on Thursday.
The Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) has accused Russian Space Systems (RSS) of jacking up the costs of the Glonass global navigation system program and diverting cash “saved.”
The controversy came to a point where Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who oversees the defense industry, had to step in, ordering the two parties to stop throwing mud at each other in public, which he said could “seriously harm the Russian space industry.”
On Wednesday a letter was posted on the RSS website, suggesting that Roscosmos chief Vladimir Popovkin leave his post. The letter, signed by RSS deputy head Ivan Golub, accused the Roscosmos chief of “illegal audits” and “creating uncontrolled structures.” It was later removed from the website on the grounds that it was intended for internal use and was released by mistake.
The RSS allegations apparently came in response to Popovkin’s Monday comments accusing “space industry contractors” of disseminating false rumors about him because they were dissatisfied with his attempt to reform the industry.
