The head of construction at Russia's 150 billion ruble ($2.5 billion) Vostochny Cosmodrome project has been removed from his post amid corruption scandals and missed deadlines, the Kommersant newspaper reported.
The firing on Friday is the second scalping of a spaceport construction boss in less than a year, and comes days after Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin's visit to the cosmodrome, in Russia's Far East.
Rogozin, who now oversees the project personally, threatened two weeks ago to rip the heads off any contractors who interfere with the cosmodrome being completed by Nov. 30 — in time for a first launch in December. Construction schedules have already been pushed back due to slow work at the site.
Dmitry Savin, the head of Dalspetsstroi, the main contractor working on Vostochny, signed his resignation after a meeting chaired by Rogozin at the cosmodrome on Tuesday, Kommersant reported citing an unidentified source close to the spaceport's construction headquarters.
In October, former Dalspetsstroi chief Yury Khrizman was arrested in a 1.8 billion ruble ($30 million) embezzlement probe conducted by Russia's Investigative Committee and Federal Security Service.
Less than a month later, a Dalspetsstroi accountant and a chief engineer from another construction firm were implicated in the probe.
Kommersant said Savin's removal was not related to the embezzlement investigation, and that he will continue to work as the firm's deputy director.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.