MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Deteriorating relations between Moscow and Kiev over the 2014 conflict in Ukraine’s southeast have put a strain on their space cooperation. Russia has to rely on NASA mediation to procure rocket control systems from Ukraine.
"Our reliance on Ukrainian components is very limited, and I am positive that it will be phased out in the near future," the spokesperson told reporters.
Despite worsened relations, Russia and Ukraine launched a jointly-built Zenit carrier rocket in late 2015. It is produced by the Ukrainian Yuzhmash manufacturer with 70 percent of Russian-made components.
