Sanctions won't harm Russia's space industry, we'll partner up with China: Roscosmos chief

Downplaying severity of Western sanctions, Russian ncy Roscosmos's Director-General Dmitry Rogozin confidently said that y won't significantly harm Russia's initiatives. In an interview with Russia's First Channel, former Deputy Prime Minister said that Roscosmos' main focus is on interests of its country. He also said that projects are just too many and too huge to be affected by sanctions and y won't stop Russia's work on International Station (ISS) or or programs.

"Half of our work is related to providing Ministry of Defense with necessary orbital grouping and, of course, strategic intercontinental ballistic missiles. This is basis of our nuclear missile shield", Rogozin told First Channel. He also listed a number of "purely civilian tasks" such as navigation, digital, television, and communications and observation from stating that se are beyond reach of western sanctions. Furr undermining ecomic restrictions imposed on Russia for invading Ukraine, Rogozin said that "we are going to restructure accents." Last month, US President Joe Biden had anunced severe sanctions on Russia's access to cutting-edge techlogy stating that it would ultimately destroy Moscow's programs.

On April 7, Roscosmos conducted its third successful mission from  Plesetsk cosmodrome in Arkhangelsk region. In a Twitter post, Rogozin informed that launch was conducted using Soyuz 2.1b rocket to deliver a satellite to assist Russia's Defense Ministry. This was second mission to launch a military satellite after delivery of Meridian-M communications satellite on March 22.

'Will develop relations with leading powers like China': Rogozin

While US along with several European countries were mounting sanctions on Russia, many analysts said that this has pushed Moscow into China's camp. Confirming same, Rogozin said that Russia would w develop relations with countries that do t incline towards west and support its sanctions. According to First Channel, he said that re are a huge number of such states, some of which are leading powers such as China. 

So far, Roscosmos has foiled its relations with almost every major ncy including US' NASA, and European ncy (ESA). In addition to this, German ncy (DLR) had also anunced to suspend all operations with Russia over its unprovoked attack on Ukraine. It all began when Roscosmos removed flags of US, UK and Japan from its rocket while leaving Indian flag intact. re's a possibility that Russia would also offer its partnership to India's ISRO considering its extremely controversial gesture.

Im: Twitter/@Rogozin/AP