As a long-time space power, the Russian Federation is highly concerned about maintaining the integrity of both its military and commercial space capabilities. However, that concern emanates less from worries about external threats to its assets, and more from the fact that the Russian space programme has deteriorated due to lack of funding. In June 2001, Yuri Koptev, head of Russian space agency Rosaviakosmos, told the parliament that age and lack of funds were serious issues, with sixtyeight of the Russian Federation's ninety orbiting satellites near or at the end of their operational lives. He further stated that many of the country's forty-three military satellites were simply too old to be considered reliable, and criticized the Russian Federation's meagre space budget of US$193 million as only half of what the agency needs. Indeed, in May 2001, the Russian Federation for a short time lost its photo-reconnaissance capabilities, taking its last two satellites out of orbit (although a replacement 'Kobalt' satellite was launched in June 2001). The Russian Federation's Glonass satellite navigation system (similar to the American GPS network) also is deteriorating; in March 2001, Koptev told parliament that only thirteen of the twenty-four satellites required for the network to fully function were working.

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Hitchens, Theresa. "Monsters and Shadows: Left Unchecked, American Fears Regarding Threats to Space Assets Will Drive Weaponization." Disarmament Forum. No. 1 (2003): 15-33. [ 5 quotes ] [ page 259 ]