Khrunichev DG Retires

Khrunichev DG Retires

Anatoly Kiselev, Director General Kurunichev Space Research & Production Centre,
Russia`s leading aerospace industry enterprise, has handed a letter of
resignation due to serious health problems.

Sources in the company confirm that Kiselev is indeed seriously ill, and his
resignation letter to President Vladimir Putin is the third in the past seven
months. Kiselev has been leading the Khrunichev centre since 1975, and the
centre seems to be the only enterprise of the aerospace industry that is
developing successfully.

In his letter, Kiselev named three possible successors whom he can rely on and
objected to the appointment of Nikolai Ogaryov, former director-general of the
currently defunct Rosvoorouzhenie arms exporter. According to the sources,
Ogaryov is supported by ex-president Boris Yeltsin and members of the Family.

Kiselev`s most likely successor is named his First Deputy Alexander Medvedev.

Medvedev`s appointment has been endorsed by Russian Security Council Secretary
Sergei Ivanov, Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov and head of the Russian
Aviation and Space Agency Yuri Koptev, Kilesev said. However intrigues of the
Family do not let Putin make a decision in the interests of the country and the
enterprise, he claimed.

The battle for the Khrunichev centre will be especially furious given that the
enterprise may soon be privatised, and finance and industrial groups would do
their best to gain control over it.

/Kommersant/


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