VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME, November 2. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has said he hopes to return to the budget of the Vostochny spaceport in Russia’s Far East some of the funds that were stolen during the construction. The aggregate damage to the state from the fraud during the execution of contracts, abuse of office by the contractors and falsification of figures exceeds $110 million. Back pays to construction workers are estimated at $500 million. A total of 20 criminal cases have been opened and 1,300 administrative proceedings launched.

"Knowing the essence of these criminal cases, I hope that it will be possible to return part of the funds to the cosmodrome’s budget. I mean the construction budget, the federal budget," Rogozin told reporters during a teleconference on Monday. He noted that the most important thing was to bring to court the numerous cases of theft at the construction site of the future spaceport.