Putin stresses priority in developing space sector

<p id="content">Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the country's priorities lie in improving its space infrastructure and producing innovative spacecraft and technologies.</p>
"The improvement of our own space infrastructure, the building up and qualitative improvement of orbital spacecraft grouping, the timely continuation of manned programs, the creation of a promising line of rocket complexes" are the nation's focal areas in the development of the space industry, Xinhua news agency quoted the President as saying in a meeting on Monday.

Putin noted that enhancing innovative space technology, products and services was also a priority.

"The solution of these strategic tasks is of great importance for our country, for the effective development of the domestic economy, for improving the security of the state, for maintaining Russia's leadership in the global space market," he said.

The President emphasized the importance of a unified financing policy for the Federal Space Program for 2016-2025, under which a significant number of projects are being implemented.

In order to ensure a successful implementation of these projects, it may be necessary to attract extra-budgetary funds, he said.

"It is necessary to actively use the instruments of public-private partnership, to attract, where possible, extra-budgetary and borrowed funds, carefully, of course," Putin said.

The Russian government approved the nation's 10-year space program worth around $20.5 billion in March 2016, but it has been partially cut since then..