Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the all-Russian youth forum Seliger held in Tver region, August 29, 2014. REUTERS/Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin
VOSTOCHNY Russia (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday ordered construction sped up on a multi-billion-dollar spaceport in Russia's Far East that he said would break reliance on the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and launch future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Putin flew in a helicopter over the sprawling building site in Vostochny at a time when conflict with Ukraine, maker of Zenit and Dnepr rockets, is highlighting the fragility of Russia's dependence on former Soviet republics in defence and space.
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