The former director general of Russia's space agency Roscosmos underwent a complex operation after an attack in Ukraine, Space.com reported.
Dmitry Rogozin was the director general of Roscosmos until July. He is currently recovering after a complex operation on his spine in Moscow, according to state media.
Rogozin was injured during an attack in Donetsk on Wednesday after someone leaked his location.
Dmitry Rogozin Confirms His Injury Through His Telegram
Based on reports, Rogozin was staying at a hotel on the outskirts of Donetsk, a Russian-occupied city located in the east of Ukraine.
He was wounded by gunfire in addition to a concussion and a wound to his right shoulder blade.
Reportedly, he was deliberately targeted after information about his location was leaked.
Rogozin confirmed his injury through his Telegram channel, saying a metal (shell) fragment that's 3x4 in size entered above his right shoulder blade.
He also confirmed that he would undergo an operation, and several other people who were close to him were also injured.
In February this year, Russia invaded Ukraine. While the world condemned the attack, the war continued for months.
Months after the attack, most space partnerships between Russia and other countries have been affected, aside from the International Space Station (ISS).
Despite the situation in Ukraine, NASA maintains that the situation at the ISS has been normal.
Rogozin was dismissed from his post at Roscosmos in July after lashing out against the European Space Agency (ESA) and saying negative comments regarding ISS operations, Gizmodo reported.
He also threatened to restrict access to a robotic arm attached to the ISS.
Under Rogozin, Russia also performed an anti-satellite test in November 2021. This has forced the space station to dodge debris in space numerous times.
Read Also: Russian Space Agency Roscosmos Chief Dmitry Rogozin Has Been Dismissed by Russia
Russia Announces That It Plans to Withdraw From ISS
During his time as director general of Roscosmos, Rogozin was a fiery and combative personality. He is quite outspoken in his support of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Likewise, he openly talks about his dismay at the international sanctions imposed against Russia by the US and Europe.
As head of the Russian space agency, he constantly threatened to pull out of the ISS. Russia has a longstanding partnership with NASA and ESA.
Images of Rogozin in full battle gear surfaced online in late November. He declared himself the leader of a volunteer unit called "Tsar Wolves." It's a unit that provides technical military support for Russian troops.
As for the ISS, Russia declared this year that it plans to withdraw from the coalition after 2024. The country plans to build its own space station in 2028 or so.
This week, Russian media suggested that the country's withdrawal from ISS would be in 2028.
While NASA hopes to extend the operations of the ISS until at least 2030, it needs other partners to agree to that.
This month, Russia and NASA are also grappling with the damage to a Soyuz, which makes it impossible to send three ISS crew members back to Earth using that spacecraft.
On December 15, the Soyuz leaked its coolant, leading to a canceled Russian spacewalk.
Related Article: Russian Space Chief Rogozin Makes New Threat To Leave ISS
