September 26, 2023

Descending from Roskosmos, Crashing in Zaporizhzhia


Descending from Roskosmos, Crashing in Zaporizhzhia
Dmitry Rogozin, former head of Roskosmos. Witness., Twitter.

On September 23, Dmitry Rogozin, the former head of the state space corporation Roskosmos, has been appointed senator for Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a new territory made up of lands taken from Ukraine.

Independent media outlet Meduza wrote of Rogozin, "[Russian president Vladimir] Putin loves him – and has for a long time." The former Roskosmos head's right-wing views propelled his career from the Transnistrian trenches to Russia's NATO ambassador. Rogozin also served as deputy prime minister in charge of the defense and space industries in the previous presidential terms of both Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin. In 2018, he landed at Roskosmos, where he started a TV channel for Roskosmos and released a space-related musical album.

Rogozin has a history of disrespectful bombast. He has called the Ukrainian president "[a] clown," insulted Montenegrins and Bulgarians, and threatened Romanians on Twitter, as well as calling for the genocide of Ukrainians.

Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, Rogozin warned he would leave an American astronaut in space by not allowing him to board the Soyuz rocket back to Earth with his Russian colleagues. Despite being dismissed from Roskosmos in 2022, the 59-year-old maintained strong ties to the Kremlin and led battalion groups on the frontline in Donbas. There, he was injured by shrapnel during his birthday celebration.

The Human Rights Watch has denounced forced disappearances, torture, and killings of prisoners of war and civilians in the territory Rogozin now represents. 

You Might Also Like

Stop My Flight If You Can
  • September 21, 2023

Stop My Flight If You Can

Despite sanctions, Russia imported Boeing and Airbus spare parts worth at least R18 billion in 2022.
From Trenches to Schools
  • September 18, 2023

From Trenches to Schools

Russian soldiers returned from the war in Ukraine will give new practical courses on security and defense for schoolchildren.
A Shortage of Drugs
  • August 23, 2023

A Shortage of Drugs

Nearly 200 medications could vanish from the Russian market due to sanctions and isolation.
Lords of War
  • August 10, 2023

Lords of War

New report details how Russian oligarchs are recruiting "volunteers" for Russia's War on Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955