The ex-head of Roscosmos Vladimir Popovkin died

In Moscow, at the 58th year of his life, after an illness, the former head of Roscosmos Vladimir Popovkin died. This was reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the press service of the Federal Space Agency.

Popovkin served in the army since 1975. Since the creation of Russia's space troops in July 2001, their headquarters headed. In 2004, he was appointed commander of the space forces. Since 2008 - Head of the Armed Forces of the Russian Armed Forces - Deputy Minister of Defense.

On March 30, 2009, he was dismissed from actual military service in the reserve with the rank of army general while maintaining a position. In 2010, Popovkin was appointed First Deputy Minister of Defense.

On April 29, 2011, the presidential decree was dismissed from the post of First Deputy Minister and by order of the Government was appointed head of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos).

On August 1, 2013, at a meeting of the Government, Popovkin refused to take responsibility for an accident of the Proton-M launch vehicle . According to the results of the meeting, Popovkin was reprimanded .

On October 10, 2013, the Government Chairman Dmitry Medvedev signed an order to dismiss Popovkin and the appointment of the former deputy defense minister, Colonel General Oleg Ostapenko, the head of Roscosmos. Medvedev explained the change of leadership with the restructuring of the missile and space industry. At the same time, he expressed the hope that "a number of problems, which, unfortunately, has recently been observed in the activities in Roscosmos," with the advent of Ostapenko will be resolved.