space agency deputy director accused of embezzlement and detained

A director of the Russian space agency Roscomos in the sights of the authorities. Oleg Frolov, deputy director of the institution, was placed in pre-trial detention on Friday December 22 in a case relating to the embezzlement of more than 4.3 million euros in this sector suffering from multiple crises. Oleg Frolov and two other people are accused of “large-scale fraud” amounting to 435 million rubles, the Russian Investigative Committee, responsible for the main criminal investigations, said in a statement.

“Oleg Frolov, using his official position, participated in a criminal conspiracy with two other co-conspirators. During the execution of the contract, they stole budget funds when purchasing equipment”, specified this body. The deputy director of Roscosmos was placed in pre-trial detention pending his trial, according to the same source.

The Russian space sector, which has historically been the pride of the country, has suffered for years from funding problems, corruption scandals and embarrassing failures such as the August loss of the Luna-25 lunar probe. These difficulties, however, have not dampened the ambitions of Moscow, which ultimately wants to build its own space station to replace its dilapidated segment on the International Space Station (ISS) and resume lunar missions.