Russia has clear hegemonic aspirations in the former Soviet space.

The project was the largest and the most expensive in the history of Soviet space exploration.

It is the first time in 20 years that a new economic, not just political, entity has emerged in the former Soviet space.

These frozen conflicts, as the disputes are called, have undermined the stability and development of a large swath of former Soviet space.

One major issue Kennedy raised was whether the Soviet space and missile programs had surpassed those of the United States.

"The elections were held undoubtedly with violations and falsifications, which is kind of traditional for elections in the former Soviet space," he said.

Furthermore, an unknown number of units may still belong to former Soviet space workers' and officials' estates.

As many prominent landscape features of the far side were discovered by Soviet space probes, Soviet scientists selected names for them.

According to official Russian military doctrine, the presence of foreign forces near Russia's territory, including in the former Soviet space, constitutes a threat.

Mir was a Soviet, later Russian space station.