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Russian Space Systems head Urlichich may be dismissed in two-three days

"If he is proved not to be involved in any offences, we will consider his reinstatement in the space industry,” Roscosmos head Vladimir Popovkin said

MOSCOW, November 23 (Itar-Tass) — The question over the dismissal of Director General of the Russian Space Systems Yuri Urlichich can be settled within a few days, Roscosmos head Vladimir Popovkin said on Friday.

“I believe that everything should be settled within 2-3 days. If he is proved not to be involved in any offences, we will consider his reinstatement in the space industry with due account of his experience,” he underlined.

“We nominated our candidates for the post of Urlichich. Now it is the state authorities that should take a final decision. But it is premature to say about someone in concrete,” Popovkin noted.

On November 11, Urlichich was relieved from the post of the chief designer of the GLONASS global navigation satellite system.

The police have exposed the misappropriation of 6.5 billion roubles in the Russian Space Systems in the development of the GLONASS system, head of the Moscow metro police department Igor Bozhkov said before. Bozhkov worked in the criminal search department of the Russian Interior Ministry before the end of July.

“Financial frauds have been exposed since the previous year,” Popovkin said last Monday. “We have taken several warning measures, particularly formed a committee, which worked in the Russian Space Systems. We have found the misappropriation of 565 million roubles in the company, all criminal materials were submitted in the Interior Ministry in September 2011 for an additional investigation and opening a criminal case if necessary,” the Roscosmos head noted.

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